


Vein

by Aynde



Series: The Leaf House AU [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cloud learning to live a bit, Co-Starring: Random Supportive Character, F/M, FF7r parallel verse, Friendship, Gen, Love Triangle, M/M, because character development
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23802994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aynde/pseuds/Aynde
Summary: Seven seconds, Cloud.A tough decision? No. It was easy: Cloud wanted his new family, the people he loved, to live.A world away, one Zack Fair lives too, and is doing his best to support Cloud and himself in Midgar. But the more things change, the more things try to stay the same. A train called Avalanche has already left the station.One way or another, Cloud finds himself on his own in Midgar. But this time, there is no Tifa to find him stumbling through the slums. Instead, someone else gives him a helping hand in Sector 5, and Cloud can't keep his grim outlook in the face of the children of the Leaf House.
Relationships: Andrea Rhodea/Cloud Strife, Biggs/Cloud Strife, Cissnei/Zack Fair, Cloud + Happiness, Zack Fair & Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Series: The Leaf House AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730008
Comments: 45
Kudos: 181





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MaddyRoco_AiriZelos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddyRoco_AiriZelos/gifts).



> Thank you for actually *talking* to me. It meant a lot. I know we chit-chatted about a Sector 6 AU... but I got thinking about how we started with Biggs, and here, out of left field, we have a Sector 5 AU! Totally not what we geeked about, but thank you for the inspiration nonetheless.
> 
> This story was brought to you in part by Biggs' final comment of: "But... you have so much in common."

There was something different about this moment. Zack could feel it in his bones.

Perhaps it was that moment where he'd looked up, and there were no more troopers. Exhilaration at finally winning.

Maybe it was that desert mirage that he'd glimpsed around Midgar, dissipating in the bright autumn sun after that helicopter exploded.

Or the sudden sunshower of rain that seemed to wash everything clean.

Cloud's eyes, clear for the first time in years.

The blond stumbled over to his side, collapsing against Zack's shoulder from where he was perching himself up with Angeal's sword. "I thought you..." Cloud mumbled, almost indistinct. "You're... okay?"

Zack twined an arm around the slighter figure, squeezing him tight. "Yeah, bro, I'm doin' good, great even..."

For how long, Zack didn't know. Especially with that chopper he could hear closing in on them; but that wasn't important, only the steps ahead of them to freedom.

"How 'bout you?" Zack swallowed, hoping Cloud would keep talking. That this moment of lucidity wouldn't end. "You doin' okay?"

"Mm." Cloud tripped a bit, and Zack hoisted his sword to get a better grip on the unstable blond. "Yeah. I'll be okay. Zack."

"Good." Zack breathed, and took a step forward. It felt like walking over your own grave, Zack thought with a shiver. But all you can do is keep moving. "'Cause it looks like we're almost there."

Bleary mako-blue eyes blinked in the rain, looking ahead to Midgar. "Huh."

"And that?" Cloud seemed to look through the cliff face as they kept going. Zack wondered what he saw; shadowy ghosts, like before? Loved ones?

As for himself, Zack half expected another platoon as they reached the crest, but...

Certainly not Cissnei, her hands on her hips, tapping her foot at him. Rain misted off the leather shoulders of her Turk jacket like a cloud.

Zack's hand reached for the Buster Sword.

A delicate finger pressed against her own lips, tight with a relieved smile. "No need for that, Zack. Things have changed." Casting a careless glance over her shoulder, Cissnei hopped up into the chopper. "Tseng would like to offer you shelter for your cooperation."

He tightened his other hand around Cloud. After all they'd been through, like hell was Zack going to risk him. He'd die first.

Steady brown eyes took him in as Cissnei held out a gloved hand. "You've gotten this far, Zack. Let me help you." She paused, then added softly, with more sincerity than being a Turk called for. "Please."

Cissnei never was all that great at playing the cold Turk. Zack knew that deep down, she cared too much.

After a beat, Zack's hand left his sword, and he let her help him get Cloud into the chopper.

Zack had pleaded with her so many months ago for their lives. Cissnei gave it to them then. While Zack could certainly spurn her offer of help and go see what was around the other corner by himself... it could be more Shinra troops.

If Cissnei decided to kill him? Well.

Zack hoped she told a pretty lie to his parents.

Tseng was the one behind the pilot's seat, but Zack knew better than to assume they'd talk in here. "Where to?" He questioned Cissnei instead.

Deft hands were already buckling Cloud into the seat, and Zack tried not to bristle at the intrusion.

"Safe house." She told him, and a hand reached up to Cloud's face.

Zack caught it with a warning look. "He... looks better." Cissnei said lamely as she pulled away.

Cloud's eyes were closed again, but the ugly pallor to his skin was gone. Mere exhaustion haunted his face.

In comparison to the last time she saw Cloud? Yeah. Zack could see why she'd call that better. Was almost glad, even, that someone else could see the clear strides the blond had taken in the many months they'd been free.

Even the tiniest steps counted. "Yeah. He's getting there." Leaning back into his seat, Zack watched Cissnei like a hawk.

Hurt and resignation slipped behind that Turk mask, and Cissnei reached over to hand him the noise cancelling headphones she'd been trying to slip onto Cloud's head before brushing past Zack. "Here, I'll be on comm if you need me." 

Zack almost felt guilty.

Cissnei had been good to him. Better than he'd ever expected any girl to be, much less a Turk. She looked after his parents, acted on his behalf as the daughter-in-law they'd always wanted.

Zack just wasn't sure about trusting her with Cloud.

As the chopper took off, Zack reflected that while at the moment, he might not have a choice about the matter, but hopefully whatever was about to come wouldn't be too bad.

Might even be good, for a bit, to have somewhere safe.

For now.

* * *

Safety is a high rise on the Sector 3 Plate. Cameras in every corner, and a revolving door with Suits.

It might not have been the life Zack had brokenly dreamed of on their way to Midgar, but... it was doable.

Less doable was the way that Cloud kept trying to hide himself away from it all.

Knuckles rapped on the thin door that separated the only bathroom from the rest of their apartment. "Cloud, brother, you still in there?" Zack's voice called out a moment later.

Cloud ignored him, hugging his knees tighter.

Instead, the blond focused on the feel of the shower beating down on him, the sweet smell of the soap Zack had scrounged up mingling with the steam in the room, the way his toes were wrinkling next to the little whirlpool of water going down the drain.

He could hear Zack heave a sigh, could imagine him running a hand through his hair as he said: "Aww man..."

After a few moments where Cloud could hear Zack muttering to himself, the ex-SOLDIER cleared his throat and spoke up. "Look, Cloud, I've got another job tonight, it might take a few days. You'll be okay..." Zack's voice broke a bit, "right?"

Responding took energy.

Zack was worried, though.

Cloud took a breath in, but couldn't say anything. Again.

"Say something, dammit!" Zack cursed from behind the door.

For a moment, Cloud thought that Zack would leave it at that, like he had in the past but- this time, the door opened, and the man stepped in. In a flash, Zack was kneeling outside the tub.

"Cloud!" Zack eyed the bright red skin of Cloud's shoulders. "That's enough!" Uncaring about the water, Zack reached over to grab him under his arms and hauled him out of the tub desperately. They ended up in a tangle of limbs on the floor.

Dazed, Cloud met Zack's eyes.

They were filled with frustrated tears, making the green in them shine just a bit more. "I know it's hard, Cloud, but I need to know you'll be alright while I'm gone."

"I'll... be fine." Cloud finally managed.

Zack hugged him tight. "Will you? Yeah, you will be fine, won't you." He said, voice choked. "Make sure you eat. And stop burning yourself in the shower."

"Showers... make me feel human." Cloud said numbly. They didn't wash away the lingering pain, far from it, but...

A choked laugh made it out of Zack, "They can be pretty human. Being clean."

Cloud nodded against Zack's shoulder. "And... a friend said..." The memory was foggy, indistinct. Cloud wondered if it had actually happened, if it was something else the mako had given him, but the words themselves were so clear: "I'd... kill for a shower."

Zack howled, with laughter and only a little bit of tears. "Yeah! Yeah, oh boy do I get that."

It was a moment before Cloud could pull back from Zack's embrace. "Don't worry about me."

"Not gonna happen." Zack refuted. "If I don't worry, who will?"

Certainly not any of the Turks who poked their heads in every few days, eyes only on Zack. What Zack could do for them.

Cloud reached for the robes hanging on the back of the door, feeling the texture of the grey terrycloth beneath his fingers. "Privacy?" He asked plainly.

"Fine, I'll get going." Zack reached over and shut the shower off, then ruffled Cloud's wet hair and making it stand up worse, "Make sure to gimme a text if you need any help, I'll arrange something."

Cloud doubted he'd need anything. He was still mako-addled, but Cloud was hardly catatonic anymore.

"Go." He urged instead.

Zack gave a tumultuous smile as he drank in the sight of him, sprawled on the floor but actually holding himself up, talking... then left him be.

A door opened and shut, and faintly, Cloud could hear the ex-SOLDIER chatting with someone as he exited their apartment. Another Turk mission, Cloud figured.

For a moment, Cloud thought about getting back in the shower, but- maybe that was enough, for today. He stumbled over to the couch to sit at instead, wrapping himself in the blanket, just breathing.

And sat. And sat.

At one point, his stomach growled.

Food. He'd assured Zack.

Time passed slowly, but one morning, as Cloud woke up he was surprised to find himself starting to get antsy.

Cloud found himself pacing the length of the apartment, peeking through the blinds to look down upon the scurrying people on the Plate below him. The sunlight outside was simultaneously blinding and refreshing.

Zack should have been back by now, Cloud realized dimly, feeling like he'd woken up from a overlong nap.

How long had it been? Three days? Cloud judged by the bowls in the sink, then amended that to five.

 _Gimme a text if you need anything._ Cloud recalled Zack telling him. Well, Cloud didn't really _need_ anything, unless you counted _needing to know_.

Cloud looked for the phone Zack had given him. It ended up being tangled in his bed sheets, and needed to be plugged in before it turned on.

Three messages popped up instantly: "U OK?" "U OK?" "U OK?"

Cloud stared at the last one, timestamped to last night.

Zack was fine.

He tapped the keyboard open. _I'm OK. U?_

Then, a little calmer, he dropped the phone to let it charge and went back to the kitchen for more oats.

 _New message_ dinged at the same time as the microwave.

Cloud would look at it later.

Of course, it was just as he was settling back onto his perch on the couch, phone long forgotten, that Cloud heard pounding at the door.

"Quick!" A woman's voice rang out, "Answer the door!"

Where Cloud found the energy, he didn't know, but seconds later he was turning the lock to open it. Brown eyes looked up at him, then over her shoulder, before she pushed him into the apartment.

"Kid, we've got to go." She told him urgently. It took Cloud a minute to place her as Zack's Turk friend, only she was wearing plainclothes this time, not a suit. "Zack's position has been compromised."

"Is he okay?" Cloud asked, worry building up in his throat.

"He'll be fine." Cissnei said dismissively, then threw a bag at his head as she headed to the window and peak out the blinds, "He was only worried about _you._ Get dressed in that, there's ID's, a bit of money, some food and water. But we've got to go."

Belatedly, Cloud realized he'd answered the door in his robe. Had he really not been able to get dressed in the days since Zack left? He opened the bag to find cargo shorts and a pale blue waffle-knit.

"No weapon?" Cloud asked with a muffled voice as he pulled the shirt over his head.

"If you need one, you can get one yourself, but unassuming is the name of the game." Cissnei told him, biting her lip as she kept watch. Movement on the street, could be nothing, but... Cissnei couldn't risk it. "Time's up, let's go." She grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the apartment.

Cloud protested, "Wait, the phone." What if Zack got worried? He probably already was.

"No can do, Cloud. I promise I'll keep Zack up to date but we've got to move it!" Cissnei urged him, and with a sigh Cloud followed her outside of the apartment for the first time in weeks.

Cissnei didn't give him any time to adjust, just took off at a clip and Cloud broke into a jog in order to catch up with her.

They took the back roads for a few blocks, then switched to the more crowded streets. Over a crosswalk, into a bakery when some security patrol car was too close for comfort. Cissnei pushed a cup of coffee into Cloud's hands with a tight smile.

They eventually came to a stop outside of a train station that was crawling with dozens of people going in and out.

"Alright, here we are. I need you to board the next train, switch lines a few times, and end up somewhere else. _Anywhere else_." Her light brown eyes were serious. "I won't know the destination because I can't stick with you, but we'll keep an eye out."

Cloud looked away and up at the tracks. That... was a lot.

Her hand grabbed his elbow gently, making him look at her again. "Hey, I know it's going to be hard. You're doing better but we all know you're not quite there yet. But you've gotta _try_ , to live, for Zack's sake, if nothing else."

Cloud hadn't interacted with the any of the Turks much prior to this, but Cloud could see why Zack liked her so much. Out of all the Turks who came through their door, this was the one Zack had the most kind words about.

That just because she's a Turk, doesn't make her suddenly a bad person. Cloud also remembered vaguely that Zack had jokingly referred to her as his parent's daughter-in-law.

A ghost of a smile found it's way onto his lips, and Cloud tried to break the ice with a joke. "I'll be okay, sis."

Embarrassed, she turned a bit red at the teasing. "You better." Cissnei grumbled. "Now get going. I'll catch you later."

Heaving a sigh, Cloud made his way into the station. "Going."

The train came by a minute later, and as the doors closed, the feeling Cloud had of being watched dissipated. His shoulders slumped.

It would have been very easy, to just sit there. Instead, Cloud made sure to keep his eyes on the blinking train map. Taking Cissnei's advice, he disembarked twice, even going out of the station to change lines the long way once.

Eventually, he found himself on the Black Line, the train echoing as it went down the spiral to under the Plate.

 _Anywhere else_ , Cissnei had said. So somewhere not topside was probably a good start.

Cloud waited a few stations, then, when he saw a greater number of people starting to pack up, shouldered his bag and exited the train.

He'd ended up... in a pretty nice area, actually. There was a lot more green here than he'd expected.

Cloud wandered around slowly, passing by a few street stands, then eventually into the more populated part of this slum. He gave himself a goal of trying to find an inn of some sort before it got dark. With the dark came monsters, after all.

"Hey!" A voice called out, breaking the silence of his thoughts. Cloud looked up.

Cloud had apparently walked in circles twice, he realized as he looked around. "Me?"

"Yeah, you. You got a minute?" A young woman came up to him, wearing an apron with Stamp on it, the little terrier looking as ruggedly cute as always.

"Uh, sure. I guess." Cloud mumbled, honestly a little intimidated by the no nonsense tone she employed.

"You look like someone in need of somewhere to stay." She told him, her eyes missing nothing. "Well, I've got some places to be at night, you do me a favor right now and you can crash at mine."

Cloud frowned. Was that too easy? Cloud felt like it was too easy. "What's the catch?"

She smiled at him, her front teeth just a bit buck toothed. "Kid-wrangling."

Dread crawled up his spine, but if that was the case, the woman was probably harmless.

Haltingly, they came to an agreement. Cloud would find all the kids who were supposed to be heading in for the night at the local orphanage, the Leaf House. Then, she'd take him home for the night once all heads were accounted for.

After finding most of them, Cloud couldn't help but ask her, "Why?"

"You looked lost. I was once too, and someone helped me out then." The woman told him, kneeling to adjust the laces on a child's shoes with brisk movements. "I'm just paying it forward."

Lost? She was right about that. Cloud did feel lost. Lost in life, lost without Zack.

So after rounding up all the kids, Cloud followed a stranger home. He's sure Zack would have things to say about that.

Then again, he was following a girl. Zack would probably just laugh.

Much, much belatedly, he asked: "What's your name, anyway?"

She was kicking off her flats and struggling to untie her apron. Feeling like there might be an awkward boundary there, Cloud didn't offer to help.

Instead he just hovered, exhausted and waiting for her to tell him what he could do with his bag.

"Folia." She called over her shoulder before entering the only other door in the apartment, and just as quickly exiting.

"You can help yourself the the couch tonight. But any food you eat from the kitchen you've got to add gil to the cookie jar for." Folia told him, reaching onto the coat rack and pulling out a white pea coat. "And trust me, I will know."

She'd said she had somewhere to be didn't she?

"You're going out? It's late, will you need help?" Cloud asked awkwardly. That's what you did, right? Offer protection, especially in the slums?

Pulling her purse over her shoulder, Folia looked Cloud up and down speculatively. "I'll be fine where I'm going, but I'll keep that offer in mind if you stick around. You certainly look like you know your way around a fight."

No comment. Cloud took a seat at the sofa. "Uh, I'll be here then."

"Don't wait up, and sorry ahead of time if I wake you." Folia gave a him a brisk nod, then he was alone.

And so Cloud stayed the night, staring up at the ceiling of a strangers apartment.

That one day then bled into another, until Cloud was staying much longer than Folia probably thought he might when she offered him to stay.

It was hard for Cloud to be left to his own devices. Not quite sure of his boundaries, Cloud set a timer for his shower, because he wasn't paying the water bill. He ate some of her food, but made her a packed lunch with idle hands even as he put gil in the cookie jar.

Eventually, Cloud realized the obvious: he needed something to do. If nothing else, Cloud certainly couldn't just stay there on Folia's good graces, so a few days after he'd met her, Cloud left the apartment.

Sector 5 was a nice area, Cloud saw. It wasn't as nice as where the Turks had tucked him and Zack on the Sector 3 plate, but Cloud doubted anywhere on the underside was a pristine as that. The thing that really told Cloud about the area though, were the kids.

Children ran this way and that through the streets, up the roofs, generally being underfoot. And all of the adults of the Sector just smiled at them.

The source of it all ended up being the Leaf House, that same local orphanage he'd helped Folia with when he met her.

As Cloud slowly wandered by, Folia looked up and saw him. She was holding a squirming toddler on her hip and was reading aloud to a group sitting on the ground in front of her. "Cloud," She said with a pleased voice. "You're up and about. Here to help out?"

It wasn't in him to say no, and so Cloud found himself following Folia to work day after day.

Kids were absolutely intimidating at first, but also nice. When they asked questions, they didn't mean anything by it. They looked at his eyes and asked him if he was a SOLDIER, and if he could teach them any tricks with their swords.

Cloud told them he needed a sword, first, and was touched when they gave him a wooden one.

Even as he took it, though, a memory drifted up. Nibelheim, and Zangan. "First, one must learn to fall."

The kids looked as confused as Cloud had felt, then, so he gently set the wooden sword down and showed them.

Falling, flowing, rolling, landing on your feet... Cloud could see the lesson there, now. Here he was, getting up after a smooth fall.

Milly, a girl with braids and great burn marks up and down her legs, was the first to get it. Her enthusiasm fed the other's enthusiasm, and Cloud found himself smiling down at them. 

As the days passed, Cloud found himself discovering things about himself. Painting with the kids was cathartic. The paintbrush was an extension of himself, the colors his emotions.

He wanted to paint dark things, at first, but Lyre, one of the Leaf orphans with dark hair and a smart, pert look on her face that reminded Cloud of Folia told him, "Dig deeper. There's gold in the ground, and a rainbow is hiding in the gloomy cloud."

She pressed a different tub of paint into his hands insistently, it was bright orange, a cheerful color.

The day he found himself painting Zack in cheery shades of blue and yellow with that prominent Buster Sword, Cloud took it home with him and ended up crying on Folia's shoulder.

Cloud missed the man who had been by his side for almost five years, who got them out of there, who kept Cloud by his side, who called Cloud 'brother'.

"Can I ask, what happened to him?" Folia brushed his hair from his eyes, the blond locks springing back into place instantly.

Cloud could only shrug brokenly. "I don't know. I'm sure he's okay."

Zack had to be okay.

One day, Cloud painted Sephiroth in acid green and rust red. Terror rose up in Cloud like bile, but so did that same determination that had caused him to stand up when Zack was down, and Cloud knew he had to master that fear.

Cloud took a deep breath and taught the kids how to play darts. Emily, one of the full time matrons, looked on with her lips pursed, torn between amused and disapproving. She had no love for Shinra, Cloud knew, but guessed that teaching kids to throw darts at that great symbol wasn't the answer, either.

Cloud decided not to do that again, and tried to find new activities to keep the kids occupied.

It took a while, but in the end, Cloud dragged up rusty memories of his mother. What would Claudia do?

So he changed the music on the jukebox, and taught the kids how to dance to the strands of 'Scarlet Woman'. Some of the kids were better than others, but they all had fun, and to his great surprise, Folia, who was always patiently kind but usually as reserved as Cloud himself, let loose as well.

"You're good at this!" She called out amid the laughter of twenty two children.

Cloud managed a smile. "You are too!" She winked at him saucily and then let loose a handful of dance moves that the kids all ooh'd at appreciatively.

What it boiled down to was that it was hard to be depressed around kids. You always had to be in the moment with them, to be there for their ups and downs and help make each success count.

Cloud's depression didn't stand a chance.

Across the street from the Leaf House was a community center, and on the evenings that Folia left to her other job, Cloud found himself wandering in there.

The elderly didn't need as much help as kids. Sure, there might be an awkward moment where you have to help one to the toilet before their bowels betrayed them, but for the most part, they let Cloud sit with them and just _be_ as they talked about the world, their life, the kids who came by.

He did try to avoid the bingo nights, especially when the few times he couldn't escape in time Cloud mysteriously ended up winning and walking home with tinned vegetables or new clothes.

Cloud bumped into a girl once on his way out the door while trying to escape bingo day.

"Oh!" She cried, surprised, and immediately knelt down.

She was picking up flowers, Cloud realized. Without thinking, he bent down to help her.

When they were all tucked back in her basket, she looked at him and smiled, her eyes a bright shade of leaf green. "Thank you very much."

Cloud brushed it off. "It was my fault for knocking them over."

"Still, you helped, didn't you?" The girl countered, and started looking through the basket. "Ah-ha! Here we go!" She held out a flower, a mellow yellow in color.

"No thanks." Cloud shook his head.

She pouted, just a bit. "Aww, but why? Everyone likes flowers. Please, take one."

"I said no." Cloud frowned, and backed up a bit. "You're the flower-girl, right? So those are for the Leaf House, or the Center. They belong to people who need cheering up."

Her hurt look eased. "But what if I think _you_ need cheering up?"

Cloud stepped around her. "Not interested."

"Oh, phooey." He heard her sigh as he walked away.

Folia laughed at him that afternoon as they ate before she left for the night. "You met Aerith, huh? I heard you made an impression."

Cloud pushed around his food. "I see the flowers every other day helping the kids arrange them. I didn't need one for myself."

"She's a nice girl, Cloud. People look up to her, you know?" Folia said as she dumped the rest of the stew onto Cloud's bowl and took the pot to the sink. "It wouldn't hurt to see where that goes, you know?"

"I'm... not. interested." Cloud finally bit out, then looked at his plate, ashamed.

He heard her shut the water off, then the scrape of the chair next to his before she sat down. Cloud could feel Folia's eyes boring holes into the side of his head.

When Cloud finally lifted his eyes to look at her, he saw he was right: she was staring at him steadily through her glasses.

"That's not a bad thing, you know." Folia said, quiet and serious.

Cloud couldn't find the words to speak.

"You don't ever have to feel like you're pressured into liking _anybody_ , you get that?" She pressed. "Who you like, _how_ you like... that's all for _you_ to decide, no one else gets to decide that."

That night, before closing the door to her bedroom to get ready, Folia told him, "I think I'll take you to work with me this weekend. You need to find some things out for yourself, and what better way than for you to see my _dream_?"

Folia had mentioned a dream before, sometimes nervously, sometimes with a wink. But she always sounded so happy about it. "I get to do what I love." Is all she'd tell Cloud.

Cloud thought about that the next day, as he pushed the kids desks against the walls. Today's dance lesson was a child-friendly, butchered version of ballet dancing. The kids liked that they could tell stories, and were so excited about it they wanted to put on a performance at the community center.

Doing something he loved... there were things Cloud _liked_ well enough, the kids, the dancing... but to love?

" _I'm going to be a SOLDIER._ " The long-ago memory of him telling Tifa drifted across his thoughts. So much for that.

Cloud guessed it might be time for him to find a new dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Shit. I'm horrified to realize I just killed my reviews on accident when I took down chapter two to split it. D: I'm sorry! I realize it only really effects me but, *the conversations are gone!!* 30! That's SO MANY GONE! They may live on in my inbox, but... D: D: D:
> 
> Zack: Shit it's like walking over my own grave.  
> Zack, on seeing a Turk chopper: Did I speak too soon? I spoke too soon.
> 
> Cissnei: What the hell Zack's kid looks like he hasn't showered but he's in a bathrobe?  
> Cloud: omg I can't believe I'm so far gone I'm still in my bathrobe.
> 
> Folia: Is that guy wandering in circles?  
> Ten minutes later, Folia: Yep.  
> And again, Folia: Guess I should step up, it doesn't look like anyone else will.
> 
> Reno, seeing Cloud and Aerith bump into each other: Hey, are they going to make my job easy? Sweet.  
> Reno, seconds later: Yeah as if I would ever be that lucky.
> 
> Folia: Aww everyone loves Aerith, you should give her a chance!  
> Cloud: Not interested.  
> Folia: And *that's* not a bad thing either! Let's find you a boyfriend.  
> Cloud: ??? I, uh...  
> Cloud, inside: There's a big misunderstanding here but she's being so understanding I feel like *I'm* the one not getting something. Maybe I need to learn to listen to her a bit?


	2. Chapter 2

"IIIII'MM BAAAAAACCCKKK!!" A pleasant baritone rang throughout the Leaf House. It was unfamiliar to Cloud, but judging by the way the kids all stopped what they were doing in order to swarm the door, instead, it was someone they all liked.

"Woah! Hey there Oates! Milly!" The man had a pleasant laugh, and Cloud took in the sight of all the kids as he followed with a more sedate pace. Even Folia was smiling at the man from the paint deck.

He had dark hair and an easy grin. A kind word for each child by name.

Cloud frowned though, taking in the extra clips on his suspenders, the gun holstered at his side. Trying not to think about it further, Cloud turned back to the classroom to put the desks back into order.

Cloud was halfway done when the sound of chattering voices got quieter. "Need a hand?" The man asked easily, taking in the classroom's sights.

He could do it himself, but... The Leaf House was big on teaching kids cooperation. "Sure. You grab that end?"

In no time at all, the room was back to it's former orderly rows. After, the man held out his hand with a small smile and eyes that seemed to stare into Cloud's soul. "I'm Biggs."

Cloud blinked, because that was a name he'd heard quite a bit of these last few weeks, both from the kids and Folia. No wonder everyone had been so excited. Biggs was almost legendary around here. "Cloud." He shook it.

Calloused, warm, and firm were all the notes Cloud picked up from Biggs before the man dropped his hand.

Biggs scratched his chin, "Cloud, huh? Think I've heard that name before."

Cloud shrugged, heading to the jukebox to stop his music. "I've been helping out here for a few weeks, maybe you heard it from one of the others?" He suggested idly.

"No, no..." Biggs hmm'd. "Well, it'll come to me eventually!"

There wasn't much left to do in the room, so Cloud cast his eyes about when he couldn't find something to say. "You a mercenary?" He finally settled on, and could have kicked himself.

A mercenary. There he'd been thinking about dreams and Zack's had come back to haunt him in the form of a stranger.

"Nope!" Biggs laughed, then pointed at his own face with his thumb. "You are looking at a member of the Sector 7 Watch!"

"So... a volunteer?" Cloud couldn't help but ask skeptically, because really, the Watch was basically an unpaid mercenary.

"I guess I can see why you'd think that." Biggs allowed graciously. "But that's my whole life, really. Grew up here, helped out here, now I'm helping out where I live now, too."

"I see." Cloud muttered.

"But enough about me, what about you?" The man turned the tables around. "What made you start helping out at the Leaf House?"

Cloud couldn't help but remember what Folia had told him, all those weeks ago. "I was... lost, and there's someone here who decided to help me out."

A tension Cloud hadn't noticed was in Biggs shoulders relaxed. "So that's how it is."

Biggs clapped his hands together and came closer to Cloud. "Well, I'm something of a big brother here at the Leaf House, so why don't you walk me through what you've been up to here?"

Cloud couldn't help the reflexive scowl. "I don't need a brother." He snapped. Cloud already had one, he just had to find him again.

Steely brown eyes took him in steadily. "Alright." Biggs told him, and Cloud couldn't keep meeting his eyes. "I don't have to be. But I am interested in your work here. I heard music?"

Haltingly, Cloud nodded, and then found himself explaining.

It was great that the kids ran around so much, with the many ways they kept themselves occupied with healthy, community-giving activities like trash pickup and grocery runs.

But, Cloud told Biggs, there was a healthy outlet for that pent up energy right here in the classroom, especially for rainy days like today. Turn the music on, and dance a bit.

"They're going to put on a show at the Center across the street, soon." Cloud finished telling him.

Biggs wore a big grin, glancing between Cloud's face and the jukebox. "That's great. Man, I wish I'd had a teacher for that when I lived here. Planet knows I've got two left feet."

"I could teach you?" Cloud blurted out, then, as his ears turned red, really wished he hadn't.

Biggs, on the other hand, looked excited at the offer. "Really? I can't say I'll do all that great, but I'd be down!"

"Uh, right." Cloud cleared his throat and turned back to the jukebox. Dance lessons, Cloud thought to himself, embarrassed. 

"Oh, but you know, it'll have to be a raincheck." Biggs told him before Cloud could finish selecting the music. "I'm on limited time and only dropped by the Leaf House to check in. I was actually on my way to the station. I've got places to be tonight."

Right. What was Cloud thinking, that Biggs had meant _right now_? And they'd already put the desks back proper anyway...

"That's fine." Cloud found himself saying woodenly, "I'm sure I'll still be here."

He was disappointed, Cloud was surprised to realize as the man clapped him on the shoulder.

"And I'll take you up on it!" Biggs smiled at him. "Promise!"

Folia eyed him speculatively over their omurice that evening.

"Thinking about what I said?" Is all she ended up asking.

The tips of Cloud's ears turned a bit red, and he nodded a bit.

She just smiled, "Good."

A patient teacher, that was Folia.

Cloud knew how much Folia respected Biggs, and it was a bit encouraging, to see her quietly amused as Cloud tried to figure out how he felt about the congenial man.

The good mood wasn't to last, however.

That evening, the Mako Reactor 1 blew up.

Cloud had his arms up to his elbows covered in soapy water when he felt the floor shake under his feet, and several things fell off the shelves. Then, the power went out.

He wondered what happened. From what Cloud could remember from his Shinra days, Midgar wasn't very near any fault lines, so earthquakes were supposed to be rare.

A knock rapped on their door in a hurried manner.

Cloud answered it while still wiping off his hands, and was surprised to see Emily, the Leaf Housemother, standing on the other side with a cellphone in hand.

 _Folia,_ Emily mouthed at him, and pressed the small phone into his hands. Cloud held it up.

"Cloud?" Her voice sounded small, and Cloud doubted it was because of a tinny connection. "Can you come get me?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right there." Cloud assured her over the phone, reaching for his shoes. "Uh... but where is there?"

"It's not how I wanted to take you to work." Folia's laugh was a little bit broken. "I work the next sector over, inside Wall Market, at the Honeybee Inn. You should be able to find it easily enough."

Wall Market was in Sector Six, Cloud knew, though he'd never been there, not even when he'd been in Infantry.

"I'm on my way." Cloud told her, then handed the phone back to Emily before he set off at a run.

It really was a quick jaunt between Sector 5 and Sector 6, and with so much of it being comprised of channels in the ground rock that hadn't been cleared and developed yet, there wasn't much room to get lost. He could understand why Folia usually felt safe on the route.

Cloud was glad for it, because in retrospect, he probably should have grabbed the wooden sword the kids had gifted him.

Wall Market had a _completely_ different atmosphere than Sector 5, Cloud could tell that as soon as he passed through the gates. This was no sleepy undercity. Not in the least.

People were everywhere, some laughing still, a lot more sitting down, shell shocked in front of the Shinra Newscast Televisions, which were broadcasting the damage that had been done to Sectors 1 and 8.

"Hey." Cloud approached someone standing at the end of a short road. "Where can I find the Honeybee Inn?" He asked them.

"Are you crazy? After a night like tonight you want to see if the Inn is still running it's shows?" They spat at the ground. "Unbelievable."

Pursing his lips, Cloud ignored them and found someone else.

Honeybee Inn was tucked into the lower city, in an area with more bars and nightclubs. As soon as Cloud was on the right level, the place was beyond obvious. Bright, giant bees kept flickering on and off as the power lines were still malfunctioning.

As Cloud approached, a well dressed young man stepped in front of him. "I'm sorry, sir, but we are currently closed at the moment." His voice was honey sweet and apologetic. "I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave."

Cloud shook his head and didn't budge, even when the man put a gentle hand on Cloud's sternum. "I'm not here for the Inn, I'm here for my friend."

"Oh." The greeter blinked, and smiled a little more genuinely. "Well, in that case, may I have their name and yours to confirm you're on their list?"

Tugging his hair, Cloud huffed out a breath. "Folia. And I'm Cloud. But look, she only just called this evening, if there's some list or whatever you said, I'm probably not on it."

"Hmm..." The young man looked indecisive, then gave a sigh. "It's against protocol, but on the chance you are telling the truth... Please, come in and wait in the lobby. I will check the records, and if you are correct, find someone to check with Miss Folia."

The lobby was muggy and smelled of flowers, but Cloud was cooling his heels against the host stand for only a few minutes when the inner door was opened on silent hinges.

"Well, well." A voice spoke up, gravelly and ear catching.

Cloud glanced over. A man who absolutely exuded sex appeal stood there looking at Cloud with a hand on his hip, he wore silk and leather and Cloud felt his mouth go dry.

"I take it you are the one who is searching for one of my bees?" The man asked, sashaying over to scrutinize him with piercing hazel eyes.

Bees? Cloud was about to ask, when the man gestured a hand up and down Cloud's form. "Yes, I do believe you match my Honeygirl's description. Follow me." He commanded loftily, turning on his heel to lead Cloud further into the Inn.

Cloud trailed after the man, helpless to do naught but follow.

First, they entered into a honeycomb shaped room with more bee motif than Cloud's eyes knew what to do with, and then slipped through a door, around and up a hidden staircase to the second floor overlooking the first. Much like the ground floor, every room here was also evenly placed in the hexagon.

The man opened one of the doors gently, and then waved him in with a warm palm on Cloud's shoulder. "After you, my dear."

"Cloud!" He heard Folia's voice cry out as he stepped into the doorway, and then she crashed into him.

"Ah." Cloud struggled for a minute to place his hands, and then just decided to hold her shoulders as she hugged him and shook.

Warmth at his back as the man came closer in order to bend down to speak lowly in Cloud's ear. "I shall give you some privacy, hmm?" The mans hand trailed from his shoulder and down his back, his silky voice gently assured Cloud to take his time, and then the man nudged him inside in order to shut the door.

Cloud looked around, noticed that the small room had couches along one wall and so he gently lead Folia over to them.

As they sat, Cloud tried his hand at comforting her. "Hey, uh, it's alright Folia." She shook her head against his shoulder. "It is, we're both here, we're both... we're both okay." Cloud found himself echoing words that Zack had told him what seemed like so long ago.

Eventually, Cloud just ended up letting her hold onto him until she calmed down.

"I'm so sorry." Folia muttered against his chest, before pulling away to take off her glasses. She scrubbed at her eyes roughly with her wrist. "I'm..not normally shaken up by things like this."

"Can I ask what happened?" Cloud asked hesitantly. "What got you so scared?"

A broken laugh escaped Folia. "Here I was, in Midgar, chasing dreams, when the Gongaga reactor exploded." She sniffled loudly and rubbed her eyes. "My parents still lived in Gongaga. My little sister. None of them made it."

Cloud swallowed. He couldn't say he had any pleasant memories of the Reactors, either, and the Nibel one didn't even explode. "Will you be alright?" He asked softly.

"Probably not." Folia said, then took a deep breath in. "But I can put on a strong face. I just..." Folia looked a bit shy. "I just needed to know that I didn't lose everything again. That you were okay."

"Heh." Cloud huffed. "So much for that tough act."

"Your tough act or my tough act?" Folia countered, and let out a hiccuping laugh.

The hard knot of worry that had made itself comfortable in Cloud's chest relaxed at that. Folia was strong, and she would be fine. Cloud would just have to make sure to be here for her.

"Do you need anything?" Cloud asked, looking around for something to keep busy. "Food? Water?"

Folia scooted back from him and stood up. "That... that would be great, but let me get it." She said stretching and putting on her aforementioned tough face. "Andi keeps some great tea here, I'm going to pull the sniffle card and grab some for us."

For the first time, Cloud noticed that she was wearing a leotard, along with a shiny styrofoam bee's...butt. Stinger.

"What... is that?" Cloud asked, fascinated.

Folia snorted, then struck a pose. "It's my dancer outfit, of course."

Her dream... had been to dance? Cloud smothered a smile behind his hand. Suddenly, everything that led up to this moment seemed like it was beyond fortuitous. No wonder she had been so encouraging to his teaching the kids.

"It's cute." He managed, coughing a bit and casting his eyes aside.

Folia blinked at him, "You... don't think it's too much?" She'd honestly thought Cloud would be a bit more of a stickler than that.

"No. No I don't. It's all thematic, right?" Cloud asked, "That man, he called you a Honeygirl, and a bee. And bees are sweet, and helpful, and they flutter... so, dancing. It's... it's really an excellent costume."

Brown eyes stared at him.

"Cloud. People here sexualize this. We secondarily function as a bordello?" Folia asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "That doesn't make what I said any less true."

Folia put a hand to her mouth to hide the smile. "I should have you sit down with Andi, he's just going to _love_ you."

"Andi?" Cloud questioned, looking a bit lost.

Folia stopped herself from cooing like the cute-girl instinct this place brought out in her.

"I'm going to go get that tea, to 'calm down' and then we can head home, ok?" She assured him before heading to the door.

"Oh!" Folia cried, surprised as she opened it.

Rita, one of the girls, was standing a respectable distance from the door with a steaming tea set. She pressed it into Folia's hands. "Courtesy of Andi, in hopes that you're feeling better~♥"

Folia looked at the tea set, touched. "Thank him for me?"

The other Honeygirl wagged her finger at Folia. "Now, now, we must always thank people ourselves."

Folia frowned a bit, that was a client rule, not a rule they used among fellow dancers. But, it was Andi. "I will." Folia promised, then took the tea inside to the small table.

As she went to pour their cups, Folia saw a small note in one of them.

_It is my wish that you and your companion make use of the Honeybee Inn tonight._   
  
_I can tell at a glance that he is quite capable, but I only want for my bees to be well._

_I will see your smiling faces in the morning._

_⬢⬡⬢_

Folia sighed, and brought the note over. "Guess we're staying overnight."

Cloud took the slip of paper from her curiously, and Folia extrapolated. "Andi's secretly a worry wort. He doesn't want us leaving while it's dark, thinks it's too dangerous after what happened. Even with you here."

"Sounds like a good boss." Cloud said calmly, folding the note and setting it down gently on the tea tray.

A smile came to Folia's face. "He is. Andi pushes himself just as hard, if not harder, than he pushes us. And he's _always_ here for us. Truth be told, I've learned a lot from him, about both dancing and people."

"That speech I gave you the other night?" Folia continued, not waiting for Cloud to nod. "About any relationship being your decision? That's something that Andi makes sure every bee who works here knows by heart from the get go. Even if it's a client, they have to have our consent."

Consent, huh?

Cloud found he liked the sound of the guy already.

Morning came quickly. He and Folia had squabbled over the hexagon-shaped bed, but in the end she pushed him in it 'Because you sleep on the couch at home, and I know how sinful that bed is! You need to experience it!'

He gave in.

It _was_ a sinfully good bed. Cloud didn't sink too much, it supported his back, and, like everything else in this place, smelled cleanly laundered with something sweet.

The next morning, Folia ushered him out the front door. "C'mon, we're headed to the gym."

Cloud shielded his eyes from the sun. "Any reason in particular?"

"To catch Andi." She explained. "His note said he wanted to see us before we leave, but I doubt he's still at the Inn. He always ends up heading to the gym first thing after a stressful night."

Folia easily lead Cloud through the confusing twists and turns of Wall Market, eventually ending up on a main street of some sort. She entered the gym without hesitation.

Immediately, some guy perked up. "Hey, girlie!" Cloud noted with apprehension that he had a tank on with OTOKO written on the front. Just what had Folia lead him into?

"Come here for lessons?" The buff man asked, striking a pose. "I could give you a helping hand?"

"No." Folia said shortly. He deflated, but then turned his wounded eyes on Cloud.

"What about you, bro?" He tried again. "Want to learn from the best?"

"I'll pass." Cloud said flatly.

"Ronnie, we're looking for Andrea, have you seen him?" Folia cut in before this could continue.

"Andi's in the ring with Jules this morning, man what I wouldn't give to have that hot gaze on me, instead." Ronnie overshared, then motioned they follow him further into the gym proper.

Now that his attention had been brought to it, Cloud could hear the slapping of flesh coming from a small boxing ring.

Inside the ring there were two men dukeing it out, one was a particularly well built young man with dark hair, and Cloud could tell he seemed to be doing a very good job at on point deflection. The other...

The other was that same man from last night, the one who had looked dazzling as he escorted Cloud through the Inn. He was almost better looking in the morning light, shirtless as he was and glowing with sweat.

Watching him, Cloud could tell that Andrea was fleet footed, often spinning this way or that to evade a punch or kick instead of blocking the hits. He did it in such a graceful way that let Cloud know that he was dancing, even now.

As Andrea whirled around another punch, their eyes locked across the ropes, and to Cloud's surprise, the man took his time and gave Cloud a slow once over with a seductive smile, then winked at Cloud.

A flurry of activity followed.

One, two. Block, check, wedge hand, duck, and suddenly, Andrea swept the feet out from under Jules, sending the dark haired man to the ground.

The members of the gym who were watching avidly broke into cheers.

Andrea helped Jules up gracefully.

"That was wonderful!" Jules enthused, clapping Andrea on the shoulder.

Andrea demurred with a smile. "It was merely inspired, that is all."

"Even better!" Jules laughed. "Keep that up Andi and you'll be taking my champ belt!"

Laughing that off, Andrea nimbly hopped over the ropes and approached Folia and Cloud. "My Honeygirl has come to be seen off, I see." He greeted her with a buss to the cheek, then dropped his voice to a lower, concerned pitch. "And how are you this morning? Recovered, I hope?"

Folia smiled a bit hesitantly. "A bit better, yes. Thank you for letting us stay, Andi."

"You had us worried." Andrea told her, "The others were startled, sure, but you... You were safe at the Inn, but nevertheless I'm glad you had someone to call to come to support you."

"That being said," Andrea suddenly turned his attention on Cloud with a serious look. "If you've gotten a solid boyfriend, please update your emergency contact list for the future."

Folia blinked, then flushed an ugly shade. "No no no!" She gagged a bit.

"Oh-ho, I take it that you are not romantically involved then?" Andrea probed, relaxing his posture and laughing a little at her face.

"I'm her pet project." Cloud spoke up. "Folia's roped me into helping at the Leaf House."

Hot hazel eyes looked Cloud up and down, then he purred. "I could rope you into something else, should you desire."

Folia groaned.

"My name is Andrea Rhodea, my dear." Andrea told the blond, his eyes gleaming with pleasure as Cloud turned red. "But please, do call me Andi. Everyone does."

"Cloud Strife." Cloud held out his hand on automatic.

"A _pleasure_." Andrea purred.

Andrea's handshake was... weird.

He did it with both hands, for one. A solid if light clasp with his right, but then his left hand came up and engulfed the back of Cloud's hand in a stroking, snug fit. It almost felt like Cloud was being embraced by the man.

Before Cloud could decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, Andrea oh-so-slowly let go of Cloud's hand, stroking his palm gently as he did so.

Cloud amended his previous thoughts. Andrea's handshake was _sexy_ and he had no clue what to do with that information.

Andrea turned his attention back to his Honeygirl. "Now, Folia, you may not be _romantically_ involved with him, but I'm afraid updating your contacts is a very serious thing. If you're going to invite him to the Honeybee Inn again - and I _do_ wish to see Cloud again, though different circumstances would be preferable - then he needs to be on the list."

Chastised, Folia nodded. "I'll see that I do that." Then paused, looking over at Cloud himself. "...After I talk it over with him. Big responsibility, being someone's e-contact."

Cloud knew she didn't have anything to worry about. Just as last night had shown, Cloud was more than willing to be there for Folia, and honestly, he felt a bit touched at the offer.

Quite frankly, Cloud had relied on Zack for so long, it was nice to be on the other side for once and be viewed as the dependable one.

"Don't worry, she'll change it next time she comes in." Cloud found himself assuring the man.

At those words, Andrea smiled down at Cloud. "Excellent. Having a proper support structure in place is very important, and I'm happy to know that you agree with this. It tells me a lot about you, Cloud."

Approval was a heady thing. Cloud swallowed and nodded.

"Now, I'm sure that the two of you are itching to get going back to Sector 5, so I will let you go. But please," Andrea set his palm on Cloud's shoulder and leaned in to murmur against his ear, "Do take care."

Releasing Cloud, Andrea gave a light touch to Folia's elbow and wished her well, before gracefully spinning on his heel and returning to the boxing ring.

Cloud and Folia walked in silence for several minutes. When they cleared the Wall Market Gate, Cloud spoke up. "You're boss is something else."

Folia snorted. "Yeah, he sure is something alright."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as they walked. "You know, I'm glad he liked you."

Cloud blinked. "Why?"

Kicking her feet in the dirt, Folia dithered. "Well, Andi is an excellent judge of character. And while I've been glad I took you in for weeks..."

"You weren't always so sure." Cloud finished. It was completely understandable.

The closer they got to Sector 5, the more the birds chirped, the more green appeared around them.

"I don't know that I would have taken me in." Cloud said softly. "It was... very brave."

"Brave?" Folia cracked a smile. "Nah. And don't sell yourself short, Cloud. Maybe it's not something you could do right now. But the me of almost four years ago wouldn't have been able to either. You live and learn and you'll get there, Cloud."

Drinking her in, they way Folia was almost skipping along beside him even after the night they'd had, Cloud felt hope.

If Folia could bounce back after losing so much, then maybe Cloud could too one day, when he had someone like her, and, somewhere out there, Zack, to lean on until he was strong on his own.

"Maybe." Cloud smiled wistfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biggs: Cover your keen-eyed surveillance over the suspicious newcomer with laughter, got it  
> Also Biggs: Oh no he's hot
> 
> Folia: Cloud. We're a bordello.  
> Also Folia: Does he even know what a bordello is??
> 
> Folia: I hate how sexual this all is but I love to dance.  
> Cloud: Don't hate yourself it's actually really cool?
> 
> Me: Why do I always write Cloud going to to the gym?  
> Also Me: Oh wait. Andi doing pull ups. Yum. nevermind.
> 
> Also, Also Me: The gym is also a very good location because it's a place that humanizes Andi into someone with flaws, who stresses and frets over things he can't control and I love that we see that.
> 
> Meanwhile:  
> Zack, easily beating Jules in the Squat-Off: Another round? I'm good to keep going!  
> Jules: Can you keep going in bed?


	3. Chapter 3

A long day easily turned into an even longer week when one involved children. Cloud found himself fending off pleading children who demanded more and more practice time, but soon enough it was Friday

Not just any Friday, but the Friday afternoon of the kids performance.

An important distinction, because when it's a bunch of nine year olds and fifty year olds, any activity you plan, you do it before sundown.

"Are you sure you can take the night off?" Cloud asked Folia, worried as she came out wearing a cute, floral printed blouse and digging through her makeup bag.

Folia smiled at him secretively as she put on plum lipstick. "You're bringing dance to the community. Of course I'm sure."

That wasn't the only reason, but it was all Cloud was going to get, for now.

"Besides," She continued. "Someone needs to glam the dancers out, and I don't think you quite know how." Then, she cast a considering eye his way and amended. "Yet."

Cloud huffed a laugh. "Such faith. You're probably right, I wouldn't know where to start." Folia arched a brow at him. "...and also probably right that if I do this again I should learn how to apply concealer myself."

Folia laughed at him. "It's more than concealer, but we can totally make a lesson of it with the kids, much to Emily's annoyance."

Annoyance was a good word for it, as frankly, it sounded like a disaster of a cleanup to him as well, but Cloud would take it as the life skill it was presented as. "I'm going to go round up the kids, see you later?"

Folia waggled her fingers at him, shockingly confident in show makeup, and Cloud left the Leaf House classroom while stifling a laugh.

Most of the kids of the Leaf House were already loitering in front of the building impatiently, but as he did a headcount, Cloud could tell that a few were missing. So, after herding the ones there to Folia, he headed out to find them.

Most were just the usual late kids on patrol, and so were easy to find. Cloud had just sent Milly on her way back when a voice called out to him. "Cloud! Over here!"

To his surprise, walking through the Sector 5 Gate was Biggs, three Leaf kids hanging off his arms and weighing him down.

Cloud approached. "What are you doing here?" He asked; he hadn't seen head or hide of Biggs since the man had left him in the classroom after promising to get a dance lesson.

Biggs smiled at him. "What else? I heard the performance was tonight, no way I was going to miss it."

He'd cleaned up, Cloud suddenly noticed. Unlike when they'd met, Biggs wasn't decked head to toe in weapons. His hair was free of the bandanna from before and looked silky, clean. The five o'clock shadow was missing, and he was wearing a rather tidy steel colored shirt.

"I'm.. glad you could make it." Cloud finally managed to get out over his surprise.

Biggs bent over and high-five'd Lyre with a jaunty wink, who giggled and looked between the two of them with a wide grin Cloud wasn't used to seeing on her usually reserved face.

"So we've got to get these kids decked out for their performance, right? Where do I take them?" Biggs asked with an exaggerated stretch on standing straight that emphasized the solid width of his shoulders as the little monkeys screamed and clung to him.

"Uh... Folia's doing their makeup. I can take them there, if you want?" Cloud asked.

"How about you take me there with the kids? Then I can help you wrangle the rest?" Biggs offered instead.

Considering the fact that Biggs seemed to act as a child magnet, Cloud couldn't help but find that a great idea, so he led the way.

After they dropped the three Leaf kids off, Biggs ventured to break the silence. "So, Cloud..."

Biggs looked a bit nervous, Cloud realized. "Yeah?"

"After we met, I did a little digging and figured out why you were so familiar." Biggs told him.

Cloud tensed.

Had Biggs been with Shinra on the hunt for him and Zack?

Did Shinra already know?

And if so, what could Cloud do? The man was well liked around here, and though they'd barely interacted, even Cloud liked him.

Unaware at just how close Cloud was to bolting, Biggs continued. "I have a friend in Sector 7 who you might know. She works at this bar, the Seventh Heaven."

What?

"Her name is Tifa, Tifa Lockhart. She's talked about how she was friends with a guy named Cloud once, that's why it rang a bell. Not a name you hear everyday, you know?"

Cloud stopped.

Tifa?

His neighbor, Tifa?

She... she was alive, made it out of Nibelheim. Out of the Reactor.

And apparently, she was here, in Midgar.

Cloud became aware that there was a hand snapping fingers in front of his eyes. "Hey, you okay?" Biggs' face was concerned as he looked at Cloud.

Swallowing, Cloud nodded.

Biggs looked relieved at the response. "I didn't tell her anything about you." The taller man told Cloud. "Not for you, mind. It's just, she's a friend, and I wanted to find out if you really _were_ the same Cloud before I got her hopes up. She's been through a lot, you know?"

Cloud let out a breath. "Sector 7?" He asked, already going over his schedule for the next few days in his head.

Biggs nodded in confirmation. "Sector 7."

"It's been five years..." Cloud said out loud. "Think she'll be up to seeing me?"

Biggs jumped like a scalded cat. "Woah, wait! Shit!" And then he ran his hands through his hair. "Not to make a _habit_ or anything about having you wait and all, but Tifa... Tifa's gonna be busy for the next few days. Something big coming up at the bar, a celebration."

Cloud looked at Biggs with narrowed eyes.

He was lying.

But just about why she was going to be busy, the absence itself was the truth.

Maybe she had a date or something, and Biggs didn't want him to rain on a parade. Who knew what the reason was, it wasn't really Cloud's business, was it?

"Alright, I can wait a bit." Cloud told him. And it was alright, even if Cloud wanted to see with his own eyes that Tifa was okay.

Biggs let out an over dramatic sigh of relief, then perked up. "Oh hey, that's the last Leaf kid, right?"

Cloud followed his gaze, and nodded. "Yeah, that's him. Moggy!" Cloud called, and the moogle-loving boy spun around at his nickname.

Children all rounded up, they meandered back up through town.

"So, Cloud." Biggs said casually, inching his arm around Cloud's shoulders.

Cloud eyed him, a little warier after the last subject dropped on his head.

"About those dance lessons?" Biggs probed with a teasing, hopeful grin.

Stopping in place, Cloud turned and looked at the man. Biggs was clearly a bit nervous, but also smiling at him, whatever that meant.

"I wasn't sure that it wasn't supposed to be a... hm." Cloud tried to find the right words.

Biggs winced. "I didn't mean to brush you off like that, I really did have somewhere to be." He took an audible breath in, then a step closer to Cloud. "I'm really sorry, Cloud. It's... it's come to my attention that it was very rude of me."

He certainly seemed apologetic enough, Cloud thought.

"I... accept your apology." Cloud managed to say stiffly. Cloud honestly would have been fine with the fact that Biggs had had a prior engagement the day they met, but, well, only now was Cloud realizing that he'd thought Biggs would be back sooner than this to take him up on his offer.

"Damn, I did mess up, didn't I." Biggs' ran a hand through his hair with a self-deprecating laugh. 

Cloud noticed the man's eyes were suddenly down-turned and a bit sad. "I guess that means lessons are a no-go, then."

Oh. Cloud could feel his walls crumbling and thought fast. "W-what guarantee do I have? And I can't just offer these lessons for free, not now that you've already bailed."

Stopping in place outside the Leaf House, Biggs turned a beaming smile at him. "Oh, if you agree, I'll think of something!"

Glancing at the Leaf House door, Cloud said, "And if I said that you... you could only attend the Leaf House lessons?"

"Oooh," Biggs snapped his finger, and mutter to himself. "Hard to get, hmm?" Then, louder, "I can do that. I'll make it to every lesson for a week straight with the kids." Biggs told him with an easy smile that slid into something more cunning, making his brown eyes look molten. "But I hope it leads into more... private dance lessons after that."

Feeling his ears burn a bit, Cloud coughed. "Leaf lesson first."

"That's not a no." Biggs told him confidently.

Cloud closed his eyes in defeat. "..then, after, we'll talk." He choked something else out, Cloud didn't really know what, before he fled inside.

Folia was concerned as she looked over at him with a hairpin in her mouth. "Cloud?"

Lyre was snickering at him from where she was braiding Milly's hair, and Cloud remembered the sneaky high-five she'd given Biggs.

Little rat, he thought fondly.

"It's nothing." Was all Cloud said.

Folia gave him a serious expression. "It had better be nothing, because we have to get going soon and _you're_ still not dressed."

"Me?" Cloud asked, incredulously.

"Of course, you!" Folia would have thrown her hands up if she weren't using them. "I got you a nice outfit, it's over there. Have to make a good impression with your speech."

A speech? he had to give a speech?

Cloud apparently repeated that out loud.

Several of the kids gave him a look like he was a dum-dum.

"How else will people know what the dance is about?" Milly asked innocently.

Cloud wilted.

Apparently, he had to give a speech.

He approached the clothes. "Shouldn't they be green?" Cloud asked idly on seeing blue, and thinking of how it was, well, Leaf House.

"You don't like green." Folia called out, despite Cloud having never said anything against the color.

Cloud was surprised Folia knew, because it was true, even if leaf green was far from mako green.

Somehow, Folia had come by a royal blue, slim fitting turtleneck. It was knit fabric and sinfully soft. Paired with it was a small, sharp black blazer with gleaming silver chains arcing across the breast.

"How much did you pay for this?" Cloud asked suspiciously after putting it on. It was very slimming, and Cloud felt, well, amazing. To think this is what being well dressed felt like.

"Not as much as you think." Folia motioned him over. "Now sit, I'm going to put some powder on you, Cloud. You're pretty fair skinned and I don't want you washing out in the lights."

Sighing, Cloud took a seat in front of her and closed his eyes.

Some powder turned into a bit more than that, he felt as she touched up his eyes and lips too. His brow twitched.

Folia laughed at him. "Trust me, people in the audience won't be able to tell, and I'm only doing a little. The men at the Inn put on more every night."

Cloud was hardly one of the Honeyboys, but he conceded to the point.

"There. All finished." Folia snapped the case shut. "And just in time, too."

Cloud nodded. "Alright, then let's go."

Luckily for them, the community center was next door and it was quick to herd the kids out the door and across the street.

Unlucky them, it was packed inside the center.

"How are there so many people here?" Folia hissed nervously as she glanced around.

Cloud shrugged, tugging at the neck of his shirt. "I don't know, I guess everyone just loves the Leaf kids?"

Emily ran up to them. "Cloud, you're here!" She leaned in close. "We won't fit everyone in here. Can tell people we'll do another performance tomorrow in your speech?"

Oh boy, his speech again.

Stricken, Folia looked at him. "I can't take tomorrow off too!"

Cloud swallowed, knowing Folia was right, and if they did another show, Cloud would be pretty much on his own. "It's fine, maybe we can do an early show? At two? And you won't have to stay for it."

After a moment, Folia nodded. "That... that's doable."

Catching sight of the clock, Cloud took a deep breath in. It was, apparently, showtime.

Walking to the front of where the kids were milling, he hushed them briefly, arranged them into a semi-orderly line, then turned around.

"Ah..." The light was a bit bright, being an industrial grade floodlight. Cloud understood why it was necessary, but how did people on stage not squint?

"Good evening, everyone." Cloud took another breath and thought back, recalling those age ago lessons about standing, and posture, and openness, and when he opened his eyes again, Cloud felt like his mother was standing behind him.

"As the seasons turn, the Leaf House grows. All of these children you see here before you know one thing: they are here because of you." Cloud swallowed. That might be too negative "Each of you here tonight has had a part in helping a member of the Leaf House have the chance to grow up."

Eyes scanning the crowd, Cloud saw most people were pleased with that. He could see Aerith, waving madly in his direction and super enthused. A couple rows in, Cloud thought he could see Biggs, grinning at him. The man was squished between a couple of people, whose faces he couldn't quite make out. They all gave him double thumbs up, though, despite not knowing him, to Cloud's surprise.

"With the solstice around the corner, the Leaf House has been looking for a way to give back to it's community. And we... we're so glad so many of you showed up." Laughter. Laughter was good.

"So that's why, the Leaf House is pleased to announce that they will be putting on another show, tomorrow at three pm. So for anyone who can't see it tonight, or can barely see it..." More laughter. "You'll all get to experience it. So without further ado, We present you a tale of..."

What was it about again?? The kids just thought it was cool. "...how even in the moments that you are still, you can grow: _Leap of the Cactaur King_ , performed by the Leaf House." Or something.

Cloud stepped off the tape marked 'stage' to decent applause, and breathed a sigh of relief when he got to the side and the music started playing. It was only the jukebox, but one of the old men at the center had been a retired tinkerer, and wired up better speakers.

It played marvelously.

The kids, they weren't doing half bad either. Milly was great at the running and leaping in a Cactaur pose. Lyre kept pushing her glasses up but was perfunctorily correct. A couple boys had assigned themselves with repetitive Cactaur poses, and Cloud hoped they remembered their actual moves soon. Oates, leader of the pack, was the Cactaur who found the crown, and grew to be the first Cactaur King.

A voice spoke up in his ear. "Not bad."

Cloud glanced back, and met the hazel eyes and full lips of Andrea over his shoulder. Cloud swallowed. "Thanks. I... my memory was a bit rusty, but they're doing well. The ones trying definitely."

"Give yourself more credit. Even the shy ones are giving as much as they can." Andrea refuted the modesty, "And you have taught them quite a bit of technical precision. They are happy that they are good, and clearly having fun while doing it."

Cloud looked back at the kids with kinder eyes, and couldn't help the smile when he saw what Andrea had pointed out. "You're right. They are."

It was coming to the point of the endless leaping, where the Cactaur horde, tired of being mere Cactaurs, all began their own leap. One after another, a Cactuar leaped, grasped the crown, put it on their Cactaur head, and posed. The new Cactaur King, growth in stillness.

Then it happened again. And again. Cloud was surprised to see every single Leaf kid perform the leap feat.

Then, the crown toppled and cracked.

Cloud winced, but the crowd laughed.

Even Andrea, standing right behind him, laughed huskily in his ear. "An interesting adaptation." Andrea told Cloud kindly, despite no doubt seeing the mortification written in his body language. Andrea settled a hand on his elbow.

"They are children, it is harmless and charming. And look," Trailing his hand down Cloud's forearm, he grasped Cloud's wrist, bringing it up to point at the stage with their hands entwined. "Children adapt, as they are now."

Indeed they did, because Oates, the first Cactaur King, reached down and picked up the crown. He started breaking it into pieces, easily ripping the gold tinfoil.

Lyre and Milly and Mara and all the girls each furiously pulled the bobby pins out of their hair, and danced up to Oates and gave the Cactaur pose, offering the pins.

Taking a pin from them, Oates ever so gently threaded a piece of the tinfoil 'crown' onto it, then crowned Milly.

Milly took the crown and crowned Michael with a bobby pin, then posed.

Michael crowned Moggy.

On and on it went, until finally they were at the last Cactaur.

There was no more of the tinfoil left, Cloud could see.

Oates didn't mind, for he struck the Cactaur pose once again, and as if this was all planned, all the Cactaur began the final form. They each spiraled in and out, gave one last, long cactaur leap, and held the pose while beaming.

The audience applauded.

"I believe I prefer this ending. Yes, they did very well." Andrea murmured in Cloud's ear, the smile evident in his voice and his breath tickling against Cloud's skin. "You should be proud."

Cloud was. To think, they could take all the work they'd put into this and turn it into _this._

 _"Go to them now."_ Andrea urged, his hand a warm push at the small of Cloud's back. "This is the moment they need to see you, to know you are happy and a part of this event with them."

Blinking, Cloud did as the other man told him, returning to the 'stage' to more applause.

Words came out of his mouth, praise for the kids of the Leaf House. Cloud wasn't sure. Probably not super verbose, but at some point, Cloud got swarmed with kids, and it didn't matter anymore.

"Did you see!"

"And we were like, *CACTAUR POSE!*"

"THIS WAS GREAT!"

"Can we do it like today again?"

Laughing a little with the kids, Cloud searched the crowd now that the light wasn't as blinding, as someone had killed the floodlights.

Aerith wolf-whistled, garnering a surprised look from the woman sitting next to her. Biggs gave a smile, and Cloud could see now that he was squished between two clear friends who were wearing the same bandanna he normally did. One waved cheerily at Cloud, and the woman blew Cloud a kiss, then pointed her fingers at Biggs, waggling her eyebrows.

Biggs slapped her hands away, but quickly glanced Cloud's way with an embarrassed smirk.

A small figure in all black waved at him with a gloved hand. Cloud jerked, surprised. Cissnei?

Then Cloud's attention was taken up by Folia and Emily and the other adults of the Leaf house approaching. To his relief, they started giving some sort of talk to the crowd, and Cloud took that moment to call all the kids off stage. 

To his amusement, they all dispersed to talk with the adults of Sector 5.

The Leaf House probably wouldn't have to worry about funds for a couple weeks at this rate.

Cloud's feet found their way back to Andrea.

The man was still standing close to the stage, Cloud told himself. And Cloud wanted to thank the man for coming, after all.

Andrea was lounging against the wall, and regarded Cloud with half-lidded eyes as he approached.

"Magnificent." The man rumbled. Cloud stopped still.

"No, no, do keep walking. I was merely taking in my handiwork." Andrea told him, hazel eyes dark with desire as he looked Cloud up and down.

Cloud looked down at himself, then it clicked. "You made this?"

"Of course." Andrea purred, getting up and walking up to Cloud. He oh-so-slowly walked a full circle around the blond for the full effect, trailing his fingertips around Cloud's torso. "What can I say? You inspired me."

"T..thanks." Cloud stammered, turning red.

"You could be a model, Cloud." The man sighed wistfully. "What I wouldn't give to be the one to dress you." Andrea's eyes spoke volumes, gleaming at him with an unspoken double entendre. Cloud shivered.

"But alas, this is not the place for such thoughts." Andrea gave a put upon sigh. "I have rather strict rules in regards to children, you see."

Cloud blinked at the sudden cold intensity the man gave off, stark in contrast to his heat seconds before. Then his words caught up to Cloud, and he couldn't help the smile tugging his lips. "Thank you, Andi." Cloud managed to say with the same cool tone Andrea had just spoken with. "I really didn't expect to see you here tonight, but I... appreciate it."

Andrea captured Cloud's hand and gracefully brought it up to his lips. "My pleasure, Cloud."

"Cloud!" A voice shouted from behind him, and Cloud could see Andrea glance over his shoulder.

The dancer locked eyes with Cloud again, and his voice was dripping with amusement when he spoke against Cloud's skin. "My competition, I presume."

Cloud turned to see Biggs approaching him, along with the two people who'd been sitting next to him. "I'm not sure, really." Cloud told Andrea.

"Hahaha." Andrea gave a husky laugh, and trailed his hand up Cloud's arm and along his chest before brushing passed him to let them speak. "Trust me, Cloud. He thinks he is."

Biggs' eyes were steely as he stared at Andrea's departing back. "Who was that?"

The girl laughed and whacked Biggs' shoulder. "Sex on legs, that's what."

The other man was smiling at Cloud. "Hi, I'm Wedge."

Cloud tore his eyes away from where they were darting between Andrea's shoulders and Biggs' eyes to focus on the guy who was actually introducing himself. "Cloud."

"Let me tell you, that was so cool to watch. I know that Biggs comes here to help out the orphanage and stuff, but I never thought I'd find it so... nice to just sit back and watch these kids, you know?" Wedge enthused.

Biggs huffed a laugh behind him. "Wedge, you're a big kid yourself. Why else do you think I keep telling you to come along?"

"Yeah, Wedge." The girl tacked on, then turned to Cloud. "So you're Mr. Broody, huh?"

"Broody?" Cloud repeated numbly. Biggs ducked his head.

"Yeah, you were all Biggs could talk about the other day." She grinned up at him with a wink. "Oh, how he practically _simmered_ and was just so-" Biggs put his hand over Jessie's mouth with a cough.

"Well that's enough out of _you_ Jessie, I don't think I'll be needing your help, so just... go along now..." Biggs pushed her away. Jessie stuck her tongue out at Biggs, then gave Cloud a cheery wink and thumbs up.

"Uh, I'll just go with Jessie." Wedge volunteered, trying to give his bro space to make his move.

Biggs cleared his throat. "Sorry about those two, they're my best friends. Known them for years, been in each others pockets, that sort of thing."

"It's no problem." Cloud assured him.

"Well, no, it isn't. But it kind of was. Still." Biggs gave a smirk down at Cloud. "Finally alone now."

Furrowing his brows, Cloud felt like he couldn't help but point out: "Us and a couple dozen other people in the room?"

"What? Oh! No, I mean." Biggs laughed at himself. "I can finally talk to you. Alone. Without other people, like my friends, poking me. Saying stuff. Being in the way."

Cloud waited him out, then sighed and said bluntly when the silence stretched into awkward. "Look, Biggs. Can you get to the point?"

"Uh." That... wasn't a good sign, Biggs couldn't help but think.

"I've got to clean up the Center, make sure all the kids make it home, wash up, and a ton of other things that I need to get doing." Cloud explained patiently.

For once, the easy smile on Biggs' face was missing as he stared down at Cloud. Then, he seemed to come to some conclusion, as he nodded firmly. "Right, you are abso-lutely correct. So correct that I'm going to start rounding up the kids for you."

Cloud blinked at him. "Uh..." Biggs was absolutely qualified to do so, Cloud figured. "I'd... actually appreciate that."

Biggs gave Cloud a lopsided smile and a double thumbs up. "I'm on it, Cloud. You focus on what you need to do, yeah?"

"...Thanks, Biggs." Cloud told him, then looked around at the big project in front of them.

About half an hour in, he found himself working in tandem with Aerith, much to his surprise.

"I like helping out when I can." The girl told him with a shrug.

Things needed sweeping, rearranging, and some minor scrubbing, but in the end, the Community Center was put back to rights.

"Hey Cloud." Aerith was holding a piece of the bobbypin crown, looking a bit wistful. "I'm glad you were here to do this for them."

"Where else would I be?" Cloud asked. He supposed he could still be with Zack, recovering and backsliding with each step. But, stumbling into the working at the Leaf House was probably the best thing to happen to him.

Aerith twirled the pin. "Oh, nowhere, I suppose." She said lightly, then reached on her tippy-toes to pin the crown into his hair. "And now I believe it's time for the Cactaur Prince to go to bed."

Cloud looked at her, incredulous.

"...It sounded way better in my head." Aerith admitted with a sigh. "But I should be headed home, myself. Thank you again, Cloud!"

And with a jaunty wave, Cloud's night started coming to an end.

"You missed Biggs." Folia told him in a careful voice as he finally made it back to their apartment.

Cloud wasn't sure what to make of that.

"He told me to tell you that he was sorry to skip again, but he was escorting Jessie topside before the trains stopped." Folia continued eyeing him like she was looking for a certain reaction. "But he was still looking forward to the dance lessons."

After a moment of Cloud just staring at her, Folia sighed. "...Just, please. Please remember what we talked about."

Folia was torn. She loved Biggs, truly - not romantically, mind, but she wished him all the happiness he brought to the world returned. And Biggs was very clearly into Cloud.

When Folia had seen the two interact, after the show... Folia was afraid Cloud was just going through the motions with Biggs, letting the brunet push him around.

Folia didn't want that for either of them. But maybe, if Folia hadn't invited Andi...

At the end of the day, it was Cloud's decision, Folia told herself firmly.

The performance the next morning went as well as the one last night, with the advantage that Cloud had had the opportunity to talk with the kids about their excellent improv and what to do from there.

They all voted that this was going to be the Leaf House Leap of the Cactaur King, and said they'd rip the crown apart today, too.

"After all," Milly said with her nose in the air, "None of the boys know how to keep a tiara on, so clearly it's bound to fall off again at some point."

Folia alternately apologized and encouraged the kids as she rushed everybody's makeup. "You'll all do great, just like last night." She powdered Cloud's nose, to the giggles of the kids. "I'm sorry, but I've _really_ got to go..."

For the first time, Cloud realized that Andi had been there _last night_. As in he'd missed his own Friday night performance, all for a kid's show.

All for Cloud?

Why?

Folia patted Cloud's cheek. "You'll figure it out." She told him, then wished the kids luck and departed.

It stayed on his mind for the entire show.

It was on his mind as he and Emily were doing clean up, and Cloud wondered, if Andi coming to the show had meant something, had Biggs?

That one Cloud was a bit more sure of.

Biggs had a strong bond with the Leaf House. He hadn't come just for Cloud, while Andrea... Andrea had come just for him. Dressed him up for it, in fact, not that Cloud had known it at the time.

Guess Cloud did figure it out, he mused as he pulled the blanket up to his shoulders.

Something to sleep on, Cloud supposed.

...

***BOOOOOM***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory:  
> Lyre, the Leaf kid with dark hair, grey eyes and glasses: I saw the way you were looking at Mr. Cloud.  
> Biggs: What? Who me? Nah, you're imagining things kiddo.  
> Lyre, puffing her cheeks out: I don't imagine things, I see things *very* well.  
> Lyre: In fact, my all-seeing four eyes tell me that Mr. Cloud is lonely, Biggs.  
> Lyre: So you know what I think? I think you should come to the performance we're putting on.  
> Lyre: And if you dress up nice and talk to him lots, it'll almost be like a date!  
> Biggs, weakly: Oooh boy.
> 
> And:  
> Folia, inhaling deeply for nerves: Andi?  
> Andi: Hmm?  
> Folia: The Leaf House, my day job? They're putting on a dance performance.  
> Andi: That's a little young for me to be scouting from, I'm afraid  
> Folia, ignoring him: I'd appreciate if you could attend, for solidarity.  
> Andi: I'm sure that you did a great job teaching them, and I applaud you, but I really don't want anyone getting the wrong idea.  
> Folia, pulling out her trump card: Actually, Cloud's the one who taught them to dance, and he'll be there.  
> Andi: Sold! When is it?
> 
> Biggs: _private dance lessons_  
>  Andi: Hey! Why did he steal my line!  
> Me: idk but it's out there and my fingers are refusing to let me change it
> 
> Biggs: I'm going to come on hard and get this man to date me.  
> Andrea: I'm going to sneak up to you and sweep you off your feet  
> Cloud: omg
> 
> Jessie: Biggs, that's your guy right?  
> Biggs: Uh, well, we're not... official or anything yet.  
> Jessie: Yeah, I can tell that. WHY ELSE would he be chatting with sex-on-a-stick over there?  
> Biggs: What? Where?  
> Wedge: Uh, to make Biggs jealous?  
> Jessie: ugh, men.
> 
> Folia: I love Biggs to death but I've already started shipping Cloud with my boss what do I do who do I support  
> Then, Folia: You know what, I support Cloud. Cloud and his ability to make his own god damned choices.  
> Also, Folia: Please tell me I don't have to have another talk with Cloud about consent


	4. Chapter 4

***BOOOOOM***

Cloud was up like a shot.

The sounds of clamoring and screaming filtered in from outside the apartment, and without bothering to put his shoes on, Cloud ran out in his flannel pants.

The south-eastern sky was lit up with a hellish green-orange.

"No..." Cloud said, realizing what that was. Mako Reactor 5.

Without thinking twice, Cloud started running, pushing through crowds when necessary. He saw Ethan just outside the orphanage, the oldest Leaf boarder staring at the sky with horror written on his face. "Are all the kids accounted for?!" Cloud snapped at his coworker and charge.

"I, uh... Yes! They were!" Ethan said with a shaky nod, so Cloud let out a breath and started running again.

It was a long, long run to Wall Market, filled with people from the eastern parts of Sector 5 fleeing westward. Cloud was sure that Sector 4 was in just as much chaos as he was experiencing here.

To Cloud's surprise, as he finally made it to Wall Market, he found a Honeygirl was waiting for him at the gate. The dark haired girl gave Cloud a tight smile. "Andi told me you might be coming, honey." She said, trotting to keep up with his stride. "Said there'd be an over-protective blond ex-SOLDIER storm through to help one of us bees."

Cloud blinked at the description. "Never made SOLDIER."

The Honeygirl shrugged. "Being mistaken for a SOLDIER is better than labelled an ex-mako addict, I suppose."

Cloud snorted indelicately. "Wasn't that, either."

This time, the brunette just stared for a moment, then focused on going down the set of stairs to Lower Wall Market in heels.

"Not really my business either way, so long as you're here." The Honeygirl finally said as she thoughtfully held the curtain open for him.

Cloud had taken two steps past the inner doors when his name was called out by a familiar voice. "Cloud."

Cloud looked up. Andrea was leaning against the railing of the second floor, and the man shot him a short, tight smile. "Second door on the left." He called down, then disappeared from Cloud's sight into one of the other rooms upstairs.

There was a swarm of fellow Honeybees inside the room with Folia. One on the couch got up when he saw Cloud, and Cloud took the vacated spot. "Lee." He said quietly.

Folia immediately stopped clutching at her coworker and clung to Cloud, instead.

"you'reokyou'reokyou'reok" She babbled incoherently against his shoulder.

"I'm okay." Cloud told her.

Suddenly, Cloud couldn't help but remember Zack on the last night he'd seen him. How Zack had desperately broken down the door to the shower to make sure Cloud was okay, that he needed to be reassured - twice - that he'd be alright.

Cloud clutched Folia back. "I'm okay. Leaf House is okay." He said in a choked voice. "And you are too, right?"

Folia just sobbed in his arms desperately.

One of the bees started frantically whispering in Cloud's ears. " _Too strong!_ " and Cloud immediately let go.

Dammit.

"Please, tell me you're alright." Cloud said, his voice echoing in his mind with Zack's. "I-I need to know that you're okay."

"I'm... okay." Folia managed to choke out.

Cloud let out a breath. "Good. I'm... I'm glad... I'm glad you're alright, Lee."

Watery brown eyes looked up at him. "I'm glad you are too."

Cloud hugged her again, more gently this time.

Time passed in a daze with minimal interruptions.

A Honeyboy blew loudly into a handkerchief, he was curled up on one of the other couches with two Honeygirls.

Someone brought in a carefully balanced tray of hot drinks and blankets, pressing them into everyone's hands.

Eventually, one Honeygirl tapped Cloud on the shoulder, and handed him a pair of satin pajamas that fit Cloud perfectly.

Trying not to think about why that might be, but having a suspicion that it was Andrea's doing, Cloud changed into them.

If nothing else, they were a sign to stay put.

Cloud doubted Andrea would let him take Folia home like this; if he hadn't when it happened to Mako Reactor 1, then Cloud doubted Andrea would let them go when Reactor 5 was much closer to their home.

So Cloud settled into a long night, and what ended up being a longer day, as they were stalled from leaving by a bunch of irrelevant factors that just made Cloud antsy.

The most irritating was Andi's sheer over protectiveness, the man fluttering into the room every half hour, touching Cloud's shoulder like he was the one in need of comfort just as often as he did Folia. But then again, Andrea had kept _most_ of the bees here all day, as it was not just Cloud and Folia who were residents of Sector 5.

Less irritating was the migraine Folia got from crying so much.

Ironically, the latter ended up being the key to their freedom back to Sector 5.

"I've got medicine at home, Andi." Folia grumbled from the couch, her arm thrown over her eyes to keep them dark, and a cool icepack pressed against her neck.

"Do you think you will be able to perform tonight?" Andrea asked, as he perched lightly beside her, gently stroking his fingertips through her hair.

Cloud shot him a look. Was he really expecting Folia to be up to performing tonight?

"Tomorrow?" Folia estimated timidly.

Andrea nodded agreeably, "I want you to check in with me before the last rehearsal. And the physician. If they say you can't dance, you're not dancing."

Folia sighed. "I would love to dance my stress away though."

A ghost of a smile touched Andrea's lips, and he stood up. "I understand, little bee. But above all else, we must take care of ourselves and each other." He told her quietly and kindly, then in a firm voice before they could protest, said "I'll call for a carriage for you."

"Worry-wort." Folia muttered with her cheeks puffed out, but Cloud could see that she was smiling a bit.

And so they hitched a ride back to Sector 5, where everyone was still in a ruckus. "I want to check on the Leaf House." Folia tried insisting, even as she peeked between her fingertips to make their way into the apartment.

"No, you're staying here. I'll go do that." Cloud made sure Folia was lying down with a compress before heading out to the streets.

To Cloud's surprise, the ruckus wasn't all talk about the reactor, although Cloud heard plenty of that. There was another topic of conversation that seemed to be on everyone's lips, and it was all about Aerith.

"Did you hear? Aerith's ex-boyfriend rolled into town!"

"The one who up and left her years ago? How dare he!"

"She's acting like it never happened! Can you believe it! She's going to get her heart broken again."

"He sure is impressive though, and quite helpful. Marvin said he helped carry a big basket of flowers to the Leaf House!"

Shaking his head at the gossip mill, Cloud finally made his way to the Leaf House.

"Folia's okay." Cloud told Emily, along with what seemed like every single Leaf House boarder sitting in the classroom.

Chatter exploded, and Cloud braced himself for a long day ahead as each child seemed to ask the same question over and over: How was Ms. Folia? Was she alright? When would she be back for her lessons?

Halfway through the day, though, they received an unexpected visitor. Biggs had dropped by the Leaf House to check up on them.

"I know you're not that close to the Reactor." Biggs confided to Emily and Cloud in a low voice the kids couldn't overhear. "But I wanted to make sure everything was going smoothly."

"Shouldn't you be with the Watch, though?" Cloud couldn't help but ask, watching as Biggs set a rucksack onto one of the desks.

"Helped them this morning." Biggs shrugged, then picked up one of the younger boys with a smile. "Alright, I brought you all some model trains! Who wants a lesson in mechanical engineering!" Five boys and one girl cheered and clamored around Biggs' legs.

Cloud huffed to himself, but had to admit that the sight was pretty cute, those faces focused and concentrating as Biggs outlined the _why_ of what part went where.

After about an hour, Biggs had them complete one of the electric trains, and had the kids all lay out a track, showing them how the rails snapped together like so, but what was real important was that the metal aligned just like in real life. "Trains move best on rails to guide them where to go, and that's where the saying, _don't go off the rails_ comes from."

Alighting one of the models onto the tracks, it picked up the spark of electricity in the railings and zoomed off to their oohs and ahhs.

"It's nice when Biggs is around to help out again." Emily mentioned to Cloud, and he could easily see why, the attention they all paid to the man.

All too soon, however, Biggs was packing up to go. "Time for all you chillins to head get ready for bed." He told the kids to their loud disappointment, then lingered by Cloud as Emily started herding the kids away.

"Raincheck again?" Cloud asked dryly.

A rueful smile appeared on Biggs' lips. "One day, I won't be nearly as busy as I am right now, and I will take you up on those lessons Cloud." He promised, and gave a charming grin. "But I was actually hoping you might consider dinner?" He asked through thick lashes.

Cloud thought about that, but shook his head. "I really should check on Folia, she's not doing too well."

Biggs looked concerned. "Not doing well? What's wrong with her?"

Cloud debated how much he should tell Biggs, if anything at all. It wasn't exactly Biggs' business.

In the end however, he recalled a conversation he had had with Folia weeks ago, when they were still getting to know each other. Biggs was the reason Folia stayed with the Leaf House. She held nothing but admiration for him, how hard a worker he was, how caring.

Cloud decided she probably wouldn't mind terribly if he told Biggs. "She's was crying most of the night after our Reactor blew up." He locked the door to the Leaf House behind him, then continued. "She's had a headache all day, and I was going to grab some takeout for us."

Biggs eyebrows drew together, and he reached out to put a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "I... had forgotten." He admitted with an ashamed, heavy voice. 

Cloud's lips pursed together, aghast. "You just _forgot_ that she lost family in Gongaga?"

"Folia seemed to get over it so quickly, and like most of the slum residents, I don't care much for Shinra, so all these attacks on the Reactors haven't really effected me." Biggs excused himself weakly, then shook his head, his shoulders tight around his ears. "But that's bullshit. I'm really sorry about all of this. You take care of her, alright?"

"Yeah." Cloud said, a little shaken.

Biggs gave a weak smile and Cloud watched as he departed the Sector.

That night, Cloud and Folia ate Wutaian from the carton on the couch. Folia hugged her knees to her chest.

"Hey Cloud?" She ventured softly.

"Yeah?" Cloud stared at the ceiling.

Don't leave me.

"How strong are you?" Folia instead asked the thought that had gone through her mind off and on since she'd met him.

Cloud blinked, then shrugged. "SOLDIER strength, certainly. More than that I've never really tested."

Folia had small bruises on her arms from last night, making them ache a bit. She was hardly going to tell Cloud about that, though.

"SOLDIER strength, huh?" Folia mused, calculating. "...There's an underground tournament in Wall Market tomorrow night." She threw the information out there, testing the waters.

She desperately wanted a distraction.

Cloud rolled his head to look at her. "Want to see me compete?"

A ghost of a smile passed her lips. "Thinking of the money, really, though I'm sure you'll put on quite a good show. I don't think they've ever had a SOLDIER compete."

Cloud rolled his shoulders. "Well, I'm a bit rusty..." If Shinra boot camp and going over the basics with kids counted. "...but nothing ventured nothing gained, right? And we can give some of it to the Leaf House, if we win."

Folia looked at him over her glasses with a raised eyebrow. "We? I won't be down there too. I can't fight. Hell, I can barely throw my shoes straight."

Cloud snorted at the image. "No, but you'll be the one doubling our bets, right?"

Folia blinked at him, then smiled. "Yeah. I guess I will be."

The next morning, Folia dug out old, sturdy denim from one of the donations bins in the Leaf House. "It belonged to Biggs last, I think." Folia said thoughtfully as she whipped it about to air it. "But he's too broad in the shoulders now and took it back here ages ago, waiting for one of the kids to make use of it."

Even then it was a bit snug on Cloud, but the wear in the elbows meant that it didn't chafe. "Good enough for me." Cloud decided, then went to find some makeshift padding and plate to tack to the jacket for more armor.

Materia was a must, Folia insisted, healing and elemental materia to make it through the day. Cloud dug through his old messenger bag for the last of his stash of Turk-given gil.

For some reason, it ended up being a tidier sum than Cloud remembered it being.

Folia looked at Cloud a bit incredulously as he awkwardly attempted to explain away it's existence: that it had been a going away present from his 'sister-in-law' as she pushed him out of his and Zack's apartment.

"She just kicked you out!?" Folia cried, mad on his behalf. "Was that the night I met you? Tell me it was and point me at her!"

Cloud snorted. He hadn't realized how what he'd said could be taken.

"Cissnei meant well." Was all Cloud told Folia.

For a weapon... well, the kids pressed a nail bat in his hands when they saw them gathering supplies for a fight.

Cloud felt beyond silly as he swung it around, but, well, the Leaf House kids gave it to him. Cloud got over his discomfort and took it from Sparky with a quiet thanks.

It helped that Moggy assured him that he'd made sure it was the very _best_ nail studded bat that it could be. Were it anybody else, Cloud wouldn't have found those words half as reassuring as he did.

Moggy was great at enhancement, apparently one of the few orphans who always bothered Biggs for lessons on that when the man dropped by. Cloud could trust his word about this, moogle-oddity and all.

So, kitted out, Cloud and Folia made their way back to Wall Market, where the woman paused before the entrance to throw a fine scarf around Cloud's neck.

"For good luck!" She told him with a smirk. "Now knock 'em dead!" Folia cheered as they entered the Coliseum's entrance, before rushing to get into line for spectators ballots as Cloud entered the elevator.

It was a long, cold ride down.

The underground coliseum was enormous, a mix of hard packed dirt and tall, rusty walls the held up the crowd high above Cloud. Red streamers and lanterns were strung about in celebration for the solstice and upcoming new year.

Cloud's first round was a joke. He was put against some kid who didn't know what he was getting into, not that Cloud knew what he was getting into, either, but the difference mako made was substantial.

Cloud might have been a bit too rough, but... really, the kid should have known better.

His second round was against someone who Cloud was relatively certain was an ex-Shinra dog trainer, because those hounds he had with him were absolutely bred for battle. As it was, the trainer threatened Cloud to watch his back with an ugly sneer.

And so it continued, with few rests in between and no by's, and it seemed to Cloud that with each match, the crowd alternated between getting wilder and quieter.

As he was going into this blind, Cloud supposed he and his competition must be shocking the crowd, hopefully in a good way.

Until, finally, it was the last round.

Cloud had made it to the finals.

Taking a deep breath, he made his way onto the field, and his heart was pounding as the other set of doors opened a beat after his.

This was the moment. The make or break.

Then, Cloud saw that silhouette.

His hands went lax. "No..."

Black fatigues, a head of spiky black hair, and a great Buster sword all approached him.

"Zack?"

"Cloudy?"

" **Oh-ho! It seems our finalists have a history! What a heart-jerking way to end our final competition of the evening! Who will prevail in this final round: "Fair Aerith" versus STRRIIIFFFEEE!** "

Yeah, no. Cloud made an impulsive decision.

"I forfeit!"

"Forfeit!"

Zack and Cloud looked at each other. "I said it first!" Zack cried, looking put out.

"I'm not fighting you, Zack!" Cloud refuted.

" **Uhhh...** "

As the crowd broke into confused whispers, a small voice piped up. "So that means I win, right?" Green eyes laughed at them both from where they peered around Zack's large form.

Cloud and Zack just stared at each other across the ring, drinking one another in. It had been a long two months without him, Cloud acknowledged. But... he wouldn't take those two months back for anything in the world.

In that moment, Cloud decided to save any emotional reunion for later. He could see that same decision settling on Zack's face.

The announcers took a moment to confer, and came back with an answer very fast, all things considered.

" **In an unforeseen turn of events, the great, wonderful Don Corneo has decided to honor our competitors desires to *not* fight one another. Instead! Together, they must fight against the unbeatable, unbreakable,** _ **unfathomable**_ **HEEELLLLLLLL HOOOOUUUUSSSEEEEE!!!!!** "

The words were a cue of some sort, and the ground rumbled under their feet.

Cloud and Zack both leaped back.

"Eep!" Aerith squeaked, and it was Aerith, from Sector 5, Cloud was surprised to note, scurrying over to Zack's side.

"Long time no see, Cloud!" Aerith called from across the gap as something rose up.

"Surprised to see you here!" Cloud called, taking in the site of the rising... house.

To Cloud's surprise, he could feel a barrier settle around his skin. Glancing over, he saw the Aerith was the culprit, multi-casting an array of protection spells with a graceful sweep of a staff.

"Had to support my boyfriend, you know!" Aerith replied after a beat, when the last spell settled around them.

Cloud blinked. "Boyfriend?" Then he rolled out of the way as the house suddenly moved, charging in his direction for daring to speak. "The talk of the town? As in the one who left you!? That's _Zack_?"

"Yep!" Aerith said. "But that doesn't matter now that he's back. It wasn't his fault, you know?"

This was far too much information at the worst possible time. Whacking at the nearby window, Cloud glared at Zack. "You're a two-timer now!?"

"What!?" Zack yelped.

Physical attacks seemed to be ineffective, so... Cloud cast a Fira at it. It recoiled. "You heard me!" Cloud called out. "What about Cissnei!?"

"What does Cissnei have to do with this?" Zack asked bewildered, but at the same time not missing a beat in the fight and switching to magic as well as he saw the same thing Cloud did, and cast Aeroga.

"YOUR WIFE!?" Cloud snarked back.

"WHHAAATTT!?" Aerith cried out, and suddenly Cloud heard a mighty thwack, followed by an un-masculine yelp. "You didn't tell me you got _married_ while you were gone, Zack!"

"N-no!" Zack said, then cried out again. "Ow! Cloud, tell her it's not true!"

"You're the one who told me it in the first place, Zack!" Cloud told the ex-SOLDIER, backing up a bit from the chairs flying about the stadium. "This is Cissnei, she's not like the rest of them..." And oh boy Cloud didn't realize how bad those words would sound until they were out of his mouth. "...My parents love her, she's the daughter-in-law they always wanted, and I'm sure you will too!"

"I knew in my heart that you must have found someone else." Aerith said, and Cloud felt a bit awkward for having to drop this one them. "But I foolishly hoped that you were still mine. To hear all of this..."

"C-Cloud's got the wrong idea!" Zack tried denying. "W-when I got your letter, I came as quickly as I could!"

"But it had been five years, Zack, with what to show of it? Silence?" Aerith shook her head back and forth. "I was... I was a fool to wait that long."

Ouch.

Screw awkward, now Cloud just felt bad.

The house suddenly roared, and spewed teddybears everywhere.

Teddybears that exploded.

"The fuck!?" Zack swore.

To Cloud's surprise, he saw Aerith suddenly get angry. Her eyes seemed to glow materia green. "Oooooohh! How dare it mock me with the destruction of my hopes and dreams! **Sorcerous Storm!** " More than any mere lightning materia, a giant storm appeared around the house and struck it several times powerfully.

They stared at the place the house had been.

"Is that it?" Zack asked hopefully.

A shadow appeared above the ex-SOLDIER's head, and Cloud's eyes widened. "No!"

Cloud tackled Zack, sending them both flying into the arena wall as the house landed with a great, vibrating slam right where Zack had been standing.

Cloud stared down at Zack with wild eyes. "...You okay?"

Zack's mako-blue eyes were filled with tears as he looked up at Cloud. "Am I okay? It seems to me like _you're okay_!" Zack suddenly hugged Cloud tight and spoke with a choked voice. "I couldn't be better!"

"Uh... guys?" Aerith called out. "A little help here?"

They looked over at the house, and where it had Aerith backing up in little hops to avoid it.

"Right." Cloud breathed out and readied his bat for a strong swing.

"Let's do this." Zack swung out the Buster sword, lacing it with ice materia.

They charged.

" **Ladies and Gents did you see that! This unexpected trio persevered and won against the unbeaten HELL HOUSE!!!** " The crows went wild as with an explosion, splinters went flying through the air.

Aerith took care of that with a determined expression.

Panting, Cloud looked over at Aerith. "Why are you guys here, anyway?" He couldn't help but ask over the roar around them.

Aerith shrugged, neatly twirled her staff and cast a healing spell on them all. "Some friend of Zack's from Sector 7 got picked to be the bride of Don Corneo. We need the prize money to pay off a ticket for me to be a fellow bride in order to rescue her."

"I see." Cloud blinked. From what little he knew of Aerith, this sounded exactly like something she would decide that absolutely needed her help.

"Yeah, Tifa doesn't deserve to be manhandled by that creep." Zack said with a thoughtful frown, holstering his Buster sword.

Cloud went pale at the name. "Tifa?"

Zack turned to look at him. "Yeah, Tifa... Yay tall, long hair. Oh hey, she was your friend, right?" Zack held out a hand, remembering the young chit in the cowgirl outfit and conveniently skipping over the fact that Cloud probably would want to know what was going on. "I've worked a few jobs with her these last couple weeks."

Decided, Cloud walked up to the announcers and pointed his thumb back at Aerith. "Just in case you're wondering, she still wins."

Scotch and Kotch looked at each other incredulously before they shot Cloud a weird look that he pointed ignored, turning his back to the duo.

The guy in green took a deep breath. " **And it looks like the tried and true winner of tonight's tournament is AAAEEERRIIITTHHH!!!! LET'S HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PEOPLE!!** "

Cloud headed for the exit at a sharp clip.

"Cloud, buddy, wait up!" Zack scrambled after him, rushing in front of the blond.

Jaw clenched, Cloud turned a glare on him. "No. My friend is in trouble, and you guys are the only way to get her back. So you need to take that money and help her, got it?"

Zack stared. "Cloud..."

"I need to see if there's anything _I_ can do, too. Tifa's my friend. And it's not like I needed to win, anyway." Cloud told Zack flatly. "It was just going to be for the orphanage that took me in."

The Ex-SOLDIER froze at the thought of an orphanage of all places taking in Cloud when Zack knew he could have pressed the Turks more, found Cloud sooner.

Cloud brushed by Zack, letting the door slam behind him.

"Tough luck, man." The gatekeep told him, but didn't look too upset.

"You look like you won money off my failure anyway." Cloud said, then stalked past him to the elevator.

Folia met him in the lobby, and when she did she threw her arms around Cloud's shoulders desperately.

"Wh-what?" Cloud stumbled, shaken out of his mood by her desperate handling.

"We need to get out of here." Folia hissed quietly in his ear. "I saw that sword on a man that looked _just_ like your picture and bet against you in the last round of my lineup. I bet right for _all of them_ Cloud. You might not have won, but we've got a _ton_ of gil in my bag right now and I, for one, don't want to get mobbed."

Cloud swallowed, suddenly aware of the handful of eyes in the lobby eyeing them speculatively.

"Let's go." Cloud agreed.

They took to the streets quickly, exiting ahead of the rush and blending into the everyday drunks of Wall Market. After a block, though, Cloud cursed. "We've got a tail."

When Folia tried to look back, Cloud stopped her. "No, don't look. They don't know we know yet."

Breathing heavily with panic, Folia looked at Cloud. "Then what do we do?"

There was no way they'd make it back to Sector 5 without getting jumped, Cloud realized. Thinking quickly, he asked, "How much do you trust Andrea?"

"With my life." Folia swore sincerely, then actually thought about it. "Not so sure about my money."

Cloud smiled grimly. "With your life will have to be good enough."

They changed course, zigzagging a bit, and finally ended up on the patio of an elevated restaurant. "And one, two," Cloud picked up Folia, who squeaked and wrapped her hands round his neck, then jumped down to the undercity level. "Three!"

Cloud darted as quickly as possible into the alley behind the Honeybee, and Folia rapidly punched in the code for the security to open the door for her as Cloud set her on her feet.

Slamming the door shut behind them, they let out a deep sigh under Maurice's amused gaze, the Honeyboy in the middle of withdrawing a pack of BOMB brand cigs on his way out.

"Trouble, you two?" He asked.

"Nah." Cloud said.

"Not us." Folia agreed.

Maurice snorted. "Not my problem, so long as it doesn't hurt Andi or us bees." He told them. "And since you are a bee..." His voice trailed off pointedly.

"Not a problem." Folia promised, taking Cloud by the wrist and leading him down the hall and into the atrium.

"Where to now?" Cloud asked.

"Honestly?" Folia said with a sigh, "Probably best if we just wait for Andi to get back. He was a spectator in the top box."

Cloud sighed, but in the end trusted her judgement and sat next to her on the bench around the honeypot statue centerpiece.

"Over half a million gil." Folia hissed in his ear, leaning against him casually.

Cloud blinked at her. "How?"

Folia shrugged helplessly.

Half a million. Wow.

Cloud blew out a breath, and they settled in to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biggs: Not gonna have much time today, but I really should find a reason to check in on Cloud.  
> Also Biggs: ...And the kids. Oh boy do I have it bad.
> 
> That moment where I realized I accidentally tied everything together in the stupid little train metaphor Barret uses and was like, really?
> 
> Zack: CLLLOUUUUDDD!!!!  
> Cloud: ZAAACCCKKKK!!!!  
> Aerith: Um. Hello? The tournament? Ring a bell?  
> Aerith, ten minutes later: Again? GUYS!
> 
> Cloud: How much do you trust Andrea?  
> Folia: With my life. With you, and your life.  
> Also Folia: He might take you, but he can take my money over my dead body!


	5. Chapter 5

It was a good hour before the Inn exploded into chattering, a sure sign that Andrea had returned.

And he had, striding into the main hall with three Honeygirls and two Honeyboys flitting around him like a bubble. When he saw Cloud and Folia, Andrea paused and cast the two of them a half-lidded, predatory look.

Andrea was beyond angry.

Cloud shivered.

"I would appreciate it if you could join me in my greenroom." Andrea told them quietly, causing Folia to wilt beside him.

They followed Andrea into one of the more private dressing rooms on the second floor, this one decked out in blacks, whites and gold that gave an airy, austere look to the room.

Folia was quiet as a mouse as they walked, but rushed to speak as soon as the door closed behind them. "It was my idea!"

"Was it now?" Andrea asked with a dangerous baritone as he stalked up to a crystal decanter filled with wine and poured himself a glass. "It was your idea to... do what? Risk yourself? Your fellows here, or in Sector 5 should anyone have recognized you?"

Andrea swirled the wine glass and took a sip, before sauntering over to sprawl on a chaise lounge like a big, dangerous cat. "And, pray tell, what about the risk to Cloud?"

Cloud frowned at that. "I went along with it."

Hazel eyes lit by an inner fire pinned him in place. "I could see that for myself, yes."

"It was a delightful surprise, let me assure you." Andrea didn't look away from where his gazed trapped Cloud's, and his mouth was still tight despite the light words. "You performed marvelously, Cloud. Beyond my greatest expectations!" Holding up the wine glass, Andrea toasted Cloud, then drained the glass. "I am wanting to bring you on stage now more than ever!"

Andrea took a deep breath, then let it out. "Yet I hope you are aware, Cloud, of just how hard your Turk friends work in order to clean up after you, protecting you as they shadow you." Andrea stated this conversationally, as if he hadn't made Cloud analyze the last two months of his life with a fine tooth comb.

Andrea's voice gained strength as he spelled out Cloud's mistake. "Protection such as that only lasts _so long as you are quiet._ Your performance in the Coliseum would not have mattered on any other night, but this one? The Don was in attendance, and he is deep in Shinra pockets."

Cloud paled and stumbled into the chaise opposite Andrea's to sink into it.

The man turned to his Honeybee, then. "With your little bit of fun, Folia, you've put your friend in quite a bit of danger, and on top of that, almost upended the delicate balance within Wall Market." Andrea finally finished speaking, and let out a sigh at their stricken expressions.

"I had no idea." Folia whispered, and turned to Cloud with tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Cloud."

Cloud was bent over with his hands buried in his hair. "I'm sorry too." Cloud told the room.

"Luckily for you two," Andrea spoke up, putting his elbows on his knees and steepling his fingers together with a confident mein, "I was there tonight, could see the factors in play, and mitigate what I could."

Cloud swallowed, glancing up at the man, then back down.

"Folia, nobody knew who you were." Andrea started. "Which means that so long as it stays that way, your Leaf House is safe."

Folia smiled tremulously, then shook her head. "But I can't dance anymore." She came to the logical conclusion. Dancing would put her face back in their memories, she was sure of it.

Andrea waved his hand in a so-so motion. "Not for a week or two, certainly. Forever?" Andrea chuckled. "Please. People here in Wall Market don't have memories that long, and by the end of next week they'll swear that the lucky girl who bet the entire ballot correct was a redhead with blue eyes."

Folia wilted in relief and finally took a seat next to Cloud.

"Cloud..." Here, Andrea hesitated.

Cloud looked up from where he was studying the floor.

"You could have been anybody, Cloud." Andrea told him softly.

"The Don didn't know who you were, and by the end of it, I made damn sure nobody did." Andrea finally admitted. He had been simmering with emotions, torn between concern, anger and arousal for the whole tournament. But when it came down to it, Andrea protected his loved ones to the best of his abilities.

"For all he knows, all tonight was about was a show off between two SOLDIER's. And your friend, Zack was it?" Cloud nodded numbly. "Zack himself was quite recently seen having a tiff with a blond SOLDIER going by the name of Roche. Obfuscating things was easy."

Both Cloud and Folia stared at him.

With a smirk tugging his lips, Andrea spread his arms wide. "You are safe, my dears."

Folia bolted off the chaise and bowled into him in a hug. "Thank you! Andi! Thank you! Thank you!"

Curling an arm around Folia, Andrea raised an eyebrow at Cloud.

Slowly, Cloud stood up and approached the man. With surprising quickness, Andrea grabbed a hold of Cloud's hand and tugged him down beside him and tucked his arm around the blond.

"I take care of what's mine." Andrea's voice rumbled in Cloud's ear.

Cloud frowned a bit, pulling back to meet hazel eyes. "I'm not one of your bees."

Andrea favored Cloud with a slow, heady look. "Not what I said, darling."

Oh.

Folia giggled at him from the other side of Andrea.

Slowly, Cloud allowed himself to relax, with the warmth of Andrea against him and an unfamiliar feeling of safety welling in him.

"So, tell me about this Zack." Andrea said conversationally. "And why I shouldn't eviscerate him for making you cry."

"What?" Cloud blinked, trying to think of if he'd cried. "I might have been teary, but I didn't cry over him." Cloud protested. Dry-eyed, that was him during the Corneo Cup.

"Now, now." Andrea chastised him. "That wasn't the body language of someone who'd never cried over someone. Maybe it _was_ only a little bit tonight, but that man _has_ made you cry, and I want to know why."

"Zack's his brother." Folia ratted him out, to utter Cloud's lack of surprise. "His... wife? Not Aerith, that's the girl he was with tonight. Zack's wife kicked Cloud out of their apartment and Zack never went looking for him."

Cloud really should get around to correcting this story, he thought while shaking with a bit of laughter.

"C-Cissnei only had good intentions." Cloud managed to say with a mostly serious face.

Andrea looked between the two in his arms and contemplated the contrary stories playing before his eyes.

"Yeah, because apparently your brother is a big fat two timer and she actually kicked _both_ of you out, but you didn't know it at the time."

Cloud broke. He howled with laughter.

It's not like Zack couldn't take the ribbing anyway.

That wasn't how it went at all.

"Tell-tell that to Zack if you see him." Cloud said, taking a big breath in. "Please."

Andrea's nose nudged Cloud's ear, and his voice was barely audible when he spoke. "So what's the real story?"

Cloud glanced over and saw that Andrea was laughing a bit, too, mirth in hazel eyes. "Cissnei is the woman you no doubt saw at the performance."

It was easy for Andrea to put two and two together, Cloud could see.

Cissnei, of the Turks.

"Ah." Andrea let out a noise of understanding.

Cloud took a deep breath. This talk of Zack had reminded him of what he had told Zack, that Cloud wanted to see what he could do to help Tifa. After all Andrea had done tonight, perhaps Andrea was even the best choice to speak with about it.

"Andi?" Cloud looked up at the man.

"Yes, darling?" The man asked, rubbing his hand up and down Cloud's back, and Folia looked across from him curiously.

"Zack was competing tonight because there is a friend of ours that's become a potential bride for Don Corneo." Cloud explained quietly. "I... trust Zack. I know if I leave things to him, he'll get her out. I know you've done a lot for us tonight already, but..." Cloud swallowed. "I was wondering if there was anything you could do to help me?"

Andrea froze as conflict welled up inside him. "That depends." The man said lowly. "How close is this friend?"

Cloud was quiet a moment. "I haven't seen her in five years." He admitted quietly. "But she grew up next door to me."

Oh, to say no. To just send in Zack, and the girl from the coliseum. To keep Cloud safe.

But that wasn't what Cloud had asked. It wasn't what the blond _wanted_.

"I can get you in the door." Andrea admitted lowly, and Folia tensed beside him. "Rescuing her, however, will be all up to you."

Cloud nodded. "Do it. I don't care what it takes."

Such love for his friends, even years apart. Oh, how it made Andrea's heart ache.

Gently, he untangled himself from Cloud and Folia and took a few steps away. "I will require something quite steep from you, Cloud."

Cloud frowned at him. "I already said I didn't care what it takes." He reminded him.

"Yes, you did." Andrea sighed. "Very well, Cloud Strife, I expect you to attend tonight's performance at the Honeybee Inn."

Cloud blinked. That was it?

"I expect you to dress appropriately, for if you are not, we will not hesitate to redress you." The man told him.

What?

The pieces clicked into place. Dress... to get in the door. But... "Why do I have to be a part of the performance?" Cloud asked curiously.

A hint of a smirk crept on Andrea's face, chasing out the sadness. "Because everyone already knows that anyone hoping to gain my favor must first prove themselves on the dance floor."

It certainly sounded like a rule. Cloud supposed that was fair.

"I'll be there." Cloud promised.

"Now, I should get ready myself, and I still must speak with Folia about the winnings from tonight." Folia eeped and clutched her purse tighter. "No need to worry, my little bee. I won't take it away."

Cloud took that for dismissal it was, and exited the room. He leaned on the banister, looking down at all the Honeygirls and Honeyboys going about their business and wondered, what was it like? If Cloud was joining them for a night...

Moments later, Folia joined him against the railing. "You might not come back." She told him, feeling a need to warn him about the Don. "They say he does away with the rejected brides."

Cloud nodded. "I know."

"This friend must really be something." Folia sighed somberly.

Cloud shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know about that." Thinking about Tifa was complicated. "But what I do know, is that I made her a promise once. A promise that if she was ever in trouble and needed help, I'd be there for her."

Folia stared at him, then gave a rueful smile. "I'm not surprised. You're a wonderful person, and an even better friend, Cloud."

Just like she knew he would, Cloud shook his head.

"You are." Changing the subject, Folia clapped her hands together. "Alright, time to get ready for the show!" Folia said with bright, only partially feigned Honeygirl zeal. She really was excited at the opportunity to dress Cloud up.

Cloud sighed, "Guess so." He said without much enthusiasm.

Folia lead him to one of the dressing rooms. "Luckily for you, I just so happened to have the connections to snag you something on short notice." She teased him.

Short notice? Folia called two minutes later short notice? How?

She made a beeline to a standing armoire along one of the walls. It was delicately carved with bee motif and stained a gorgeous honey color. Several dresses in varying hues were revealed to hang inside as Folia threw open the doors.

"And you're so sure they'll fit?" Cloud asked, eyeing them nervously.

"Absolutely." Folia promised, taking out a stunning plum dress and held it up to Cloud. "Kick your leg a bit." She told him, and he did with an amused look.

She immediately put it back, swapping it for one of royal blue. "If it ain't broken don't fix it." She muttered to herself.

It was the same shade of blue as his turtleneck, Cloud realized, reaching out to feel the fabric gently.

"Was this made for me?" The question fell from Cloud's lips as he discovered it was that same sinfully soft, clinging material too.

Folia gave him an amused look. "That and every other dress in this closet."

Swallowing, Cloud took the dress from her, eyeing the plethora of gowns that were apparently all for him like they'd magically float out and wrap themselves around him.

"Try it on!" Folia pushed Cloud behind a dressing screen.

The knit dress clung to him in some places and billowed elegantly in others. There was an overlapping, ruffled slit going up one thigh, and the top was open shouldered with some straps across the biceps that were layered in such a way to hide the strength of his arms. The sleeves were a sheer, icy blue and turned into a sheet of lace from his elbow to his wrist.

All in all... "I feel delicate." Cloud said, trying not to move too much as he stepped out. He didn't want to rip this, after all.

Folia rolled her eyes.

"Remember, Cloud. We're going for beautiful."

Cloud was quiet for a moment, absorbing that statement. "I... could be pretty..." He supposed.

"Better." Folia nodded, then motioned to the vanity. "Now let's get you dolled up and then you can feel as beautiful as you really are."

Cloud hesitated. "Maybe... we should leave it at just this?"

Folia gave him an unimpressed look.

"No, hear me out." Cloud protested, putting some thought into this. "If it's not up to snuff, but pretty enough... and I do well on stage..."

"Andi will call out the artists to finish you off." Folia finished his thought. "Not a bad thought, all told."

Slumping now that she no longer had manic energy to sustain her, Folia sighed. "I'm sorry again, Cloud."

Cloud blinked. "I thought this was over?"

"Andi was right about me putting you in needless danger." Folia protested.

Furrowing his brow, Cloud wondered. "Are you upset because I'm going into more danger because I found out about it?"

"...Yes."

"I will be... very distraught if anything happens to Tifa." Cloud finally settled on. "So, it's fine."

Folia let out a breath. "Alright, then. If you're sure, let's do this. Do you need to practice any dance moves first?"

"I think I'll be fine, Lee." Cloud said with a smile.

"But in the dress?" She asked pointedly.

"...point." Cloud stood up. "Teach me how to dance in a dress."

Folia joined him in the center of the room, and started talking.

Cloud tripped once, but then seemed to gain understanding of his limitations and didn't do it again, learning to kick a bit and point his foot just so.

"You're doing good!" Folia praised, just as a knock came to the door.

"Showtime, girls!" A Honeyboy's voice rang through the door.

They made their way into the House proper, and two other Honeygirls swarmed them as they searched for an open booth. "I heard that she's going to be our star tonight!"

"She is!" Folia said with pride, elbowing Cloud with a Honeygirl giggle.

Eliza giggled. "She is cute. A bit plain right now, but a great taste for her dress."

Cloud waved his hand and cleared his throat to try and obfuscate it. "I was too nervous about sweating in the performance."

The three bees giggled, then the lights dimmed.

Then with a whisper of a start, the age-old Honeybee special piped through the speakers: Stand Up. It's sound was as iconic as the atmosphere, Cloud admired, then focused on the stage.

Cloud was pleased to see that he was right, the bee costumes really did make the dance perfect. The way the stinger could swing, the way the dancers used it as a counter balance in some of the more complicated movements.

Cloud found himself nudging Folia, and whispered: "See? Talented."

Then, another furled flower bud rose from the center stage, and as it did the two bees on either side of Cloud seized his arms. "That's your cue!"

"Wait right here! You'll know the signal!" They deposited him just at the edge of the stage where the light didn't hit - yet.

"Good luck!" They chorused.

In an impressive display of consecutive mechanics and materia usage, the bud opened and Illusion was cast throughout the room, gaining the wonder of all the audience as dancers made up of light joined the bees on stage for a twirl.

Cloud eyebrows flew up, because was that actually a Siren summon? 

Then his eyes wandered back to the open flower and landed on Andrea, and Cloud couldn't look away.

Cloud had seen him wear this get up before, once. The first day Cloud had come to the Honeybee Inn. But his memories didn't do justice the way the supple, black leather clung to his torso, the way the gold accents seems to reflect off of his skin.

Cloud swallowed hard as Andrea _stalked_ towards him, seeming to have eyes only for Cloud. His voice was as smooth as velvet as he spoke, addressing the crowd just as much as Cloud. "Welcome to the Honeybee Inn, darling."

Stalking forward, the man looked him up and down, his eyes burning and making shivers break out on Cloud's arms. "You come to seek my approval, do you not?" He trailed his hand along Cloud's back and then reached out to gently tap Cloud's lips.

Cloud swallowed any words that might have wanted to come out, because the way Andrea was looking at him just about stole the air from his lungs.

"I understand." The ghost of a smile crossed Andrea's full lips, and without thinking, Cloud licked his. He tasted Andrea.

And oh, how Andrea noticed. His pupils blew wide in that second, and Cloud shook minutely at the man's predatory look.

Andrea could kiss Cloud right now, devour him on stage in front of all these people, and all Cloud would do is moan, give in to him.

_Mine._

Then, inhaling a deep lungful, Andrea pulled the performer in his heart out to bare with his hand high in the air. "But those who _crave_ my favor must first prove that they know how to move!"

The Honeybees behind Andrea took the cue and moved in perfect sync with him, complimenting his every move on the dance floor. They all froze on key, too, the moment Andrea held out his hand imperiously.

The Cloud he'd been before he met Folia probably would have hesitated. That Cloud hadn't danced in years, hadn't let himself be pulled into dance after crazy dance with a bunch of kids.

That Cloud was filled with inhibition, and it was a much freer Cloud that put an extra turn onto each foot to cause a sway in his dress as he walked up to Andrea and stopped before him.

"Are you prepared to follow my lead?" Andrea asked in a low tone that fanned the flames inside Cloud.

Yes.

Cloud clasped Andrea's hand.

In a quick, effortless tug, Cloud was spinning into Andrea's arms, tilted against his chest and arm and his neck bare to the world. Andrea mimed snapping his teeth to it, and Cloud could feel the faintest brush of his facial hair.

Then they were moving.

Andrea spun him out, passed him this way and that way, with every move trusting that Cloud could follow. That he'd know how to twist just so, that his steps should go here, not there. That Cloud would give himself to Andrea, become an extension of his will, and their dance.

The Honeybees fluttered around them, sometimes synchronizing and sometimes merely assisting them.

At one point, Cloud saw Andrea unnecessarily jerk his hand out, and seconds later the music changed to a fast paced swing with flashing lights. The rhythm increased more and more, and suddenly Cloud found himself borderline dizzy as he was looped into a spin around an entire honeycomb with five different bees before ending up with Andrea again. Then the music was coming to an end, and Cloud found himself dipped.

Applause rang out in the room.

"Marvelous." Andrea breathed out as he tugged Cloud back up to stand before him. "I do believe I am in love." Then he signaled for an extravagant bow.

He cast his voice out to the audience. "Yes, before me is someone who I can transform into a vision of beauty!" Several of the audience gasped in admiration for the rare event. "Without further ado, let us begin!"

In retrospect, Cloud should have just let Folia do his makeup when they had the chance.

On the other hand, as Andrea offered his hand and only had eyes for Cloud... maybe not.

"Perfection." Andrea murmured in another, final dip. "You need only one last piece."

He snapped his fingers, and a Honeyboy placed a small velvet bag in Andrea's outstretched palm. From within, he withdrew two dangling golden earrings. "True beauty is an expression of the heart." Andrea intoned seriously, stalking up to Cloud. The music was at a final crescendo for the dancers around them, and only Cloud could hear what Andrea was speaking. "A thing without shame, to which notions of gender don't apply." Gently grabbing Cloud by the chin, he tilted his head and replaced one earring with one of his, then the other.

"You are beautiful. Don't ever be afraid, Cloud."

The words left Andrea's lips, and Cloud felt it.

Beautiful.

...So that was what Folia had meant. Cloud found he enjoyed it.

Then Andrea took Cloud's hand and on the last note, they bent, Cloud only just remembering to grasp the skirt, twist his ankle and curtsy instead.

On rising, the man brought Cloud's hand to his lips and brushed the knuckles with a gentle kiss. "Best of luck to you, Cloud."

He was alone in this from now on, Cloud realized when Andrea's eyes turned a bit sad.

"I'll come back." He found himself saying.

Would he though? If he found Tifa, if he found Zack?

Andrea's eyes were knowing as he gently let go of Cloud's hand, and Cloud bit his lip before remembering that he probably shouldn't with the gloss on.

Instead, Cloud took a deep breath, pasted on a serene expression and focused on hightailing it out of the Honeybee Inn.

By the time he got to the Don's place, whispers were following in Cloud's wake. Some residents even started following him, trying to 'help' him with his gown.

They all stopped when he reached the bridge, though, and watched with a respectful, fearful silence as Cloud crossed it.

Once he reached the door, though, Cloud was at a loss.

Honestly, the thing looked sturdy. Cloud could open it, but it did not look like something a girl would be able to open.

A vaguely familiar redhead ran up from behind him. "Lemme get that for you!" He cried out and shoved his shoulder against the door. Pale green eyes winked at Cloud.

Slowly, it opened.

Cloud favored a finger wave on the young man and entered.

Three men guarded the door, but Cloud only had eyes for the center one. His yellow eyes looked her up and down apathetically, and he intoned: "And you are?"

Cloud held out the pamphlet that detailed his presence here on behalf of Andrea.

"...Hmph. Quiet one, aren't you?" The silver haired man poked.

Just then, the doors behind Cloud opened again. "We're not too late, are we!?"

Zack Fair filled the entrance way, and beside him was Aerith, a very pretty picture in pink.

She wasn't stunning, but she wasn't awful either, Cloud surmised.

It was probably a good thing, as Cloud doubted Aerith wanted to *actually* catch the Don's attention.

Leslie sneered at the duo. "I told you, only women can enter. So drop your bird off and skedaddle."

Zack and Aerith made eye contact and nodded at each other. "Right. Good luck!" Zack took the few steps back out and started closing the doors. His blue eyes widened as they fell on Cloud's form, but then the door slammed.

"And you're the chit from M, huh?" Leslie mused as one of the other guards grabbed her favor. "Head on in, both of you."

"Up the stairs, last door on the left." They were told. They did as bid, and ended up in a storage room.

"...something's not right." Cloud whispered.

"What's that smell?" Aerith wondered, and started coughing.

Cloud's eyes widened as he realized his own folly. "Poi-*cough*"

Darkness crept in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, when I first posted this, I was really apprehensive about this part. I'd never really written an argument before, and was worried it came off as too pushy, or wrong, or... a whole slew of things. And then literally nobody mentioned it lmao.
> 
> Folia, once the door is shut: How much to buy a dress from you for Cloud?  
> Andrea, smiling: And what makes you so certain I have one on hand for him?  
> Folia, pursing her lips: Bullshit. Cloud's beautiful. I bet you have at least *five*
> 
> Me: Hmm. What came first, the Honeybee or the Song?  
> Me, thinking of the old man putting on Honeybee moves: Let's just go with that being one old Honeyboy and call it all Pre-Midgar.
> 
> You might *think* that that redhead was Johnny, but no! It was actually RENO.


	6. Chapter 6

When Cloud came to, his head was resting upon someone's lap. His eyes opened, and a sight for sore eyes looked down at him with a mix of concern and envy.

"She's prettier than me..." Tifa's voice mused, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulder and tickling Cloud's face.

"Tifa..." Cloud breathed, propping himself up on an elbow to sit up.

Burgundy eyes turned confused. "Do I know you?" Tifa asked curiously, taking in the blond hair in a barely tamed fishtail, the pouting lips and delicate features. The girl was stunning, and familiar, but Tifa quite honestly couldn't place her.

Cloud swallowed. "I'm..." Glancing at Aerith lying on the ground, he shifted to put a hand on Aerith's shoulder and shake her, amending his statement. " _We're_ here to rescue you."

A delicate frown touched on Tifa's face, and little hairpins clacked as she shook her head in confusion. "I'm sorry, rescue? I don't need to be saved." Tifa said firmly.

"Ughh, my head..." Aerith moaned. Then she bolted upright, looking around with wild green eyes. "Tifa!"

"I don't know you either?" Tifa probed curiously.

Aerith shifted to a sitting position. "You wouldn't. My name is Aerith, I saw you earlier with Zack. I'm here to help!" Aerith said with a smile, tucking her bangs behind one ear. 

"I see..." Tifa looked over at Cloud, who was crossing her arms and trying to ignore them both and the sex dungeon around them simultaneously. "Then, she must be with Avalanche HQ?"

Avalanche?

Tifa... was with Avalanche?

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Aerith said cheerfully. "Zack will be by to break us out in, oh, about two hours."

"I'm here of my own free will, Aerith." Tifa told the older girl with a frown, just as a voice was piped into the room with an echo.

" **The audition is starting soon, make yourselves presentable**."

Tifa let out a breath and brushed off her cute dress as she stood up. "Guess this is it."

"...Why are you here, anyway?" Cloud couldn't help but ask, casting little glances Tifa's way.

Tifa eyed her suspiciously. "And why should I tell you, someone who doesn't confirm whether they're pro-Planet, or even their name, huh?"

Pro-Planet? Is that what Avalanche told themselves, when they were busy blowing up Mako reactors?

Still. This was _Tifa_.

Cloud wasn't about to let a little something like Avalanche come between them.

"I'm a friend who once promised to rescue you, should you ever got in trouble and need it." Cloud said softly, staring straight at the door. He felt fragile, and didn't feel like he could meet Tifa's eyes as he told her who he was. "You seemed in trouble."

Tifa inhaled sharply, and she stared between Cloud's shoulder blades in shock.

"Is that so." Her voice shook a bit, then firmed up. "Well, better late than never, I suppose."

Cloud flinched, just a bit.

After Nibelheim, he probably deserved worse.

Tifa marched up to Cloud and stood next to him. "The Don's had men sniffing around my block of Sector 7 the last few weeks." Tifa bit out after a moment of silence, her voice just a bit angry, though Cloud couldn't tell if it was because of him or Corneo. "I'm here to find out why, and to put a stop to whatever's been planned."

"You have to be careful, then, Tifa." Aerith piped up worriedly, coming up to the brunettes other side. "You don't know how dangerous the Don is."

"Corneo's got Shinra gil lining his pockets, too." Cloud repeated what Andrea had said earlier that night. It was a chilling thought, to be in this man's manor while Shinra still wanted Cloud so badly.

With a pang of guilt, Cloud wondered if his actions here were going to throw away the efforts Andrea's fierce protection. Cloud hoped not, and vowed to himself to keep his disguise as in place as possible.

Tifa firmed her jaw. "Is that so."

Just then, the doors opened, and they were prodded along the hallway by a heckling voice through the speakers.

"Ugh, charming." Aerith couldn't help but mutter.

Cloud agreed.

The men lined them up likes pigs in a row in the Don's receiving room, and a door opened as they stared ahead. "Well, well, if it isn't _ladies_ ~♥" A voice crooned at them. "This time of year already, is it? Let me see what beauties have been brought before me today!"

A rather comical man scurried out from behind a curtain, bedecked in opulent rings and a silk robe. Corneo was short, he was fat, he had a ridiculous hair style and heart tattoo, and worst of all, he absolutely _oozed_ dirty power.

Looking at the power behind Wall Market, Cloud couldn't help but long for Andrea's elegant power. 

"Hmm... Yes... This one won't do..." Don Corneo barely glanced at Aerith. "Too plain by far. I can tell M tried, but she must have been desperate to pick you." The Don told her in a conversational tone.

"Ouch." Aerith said. Cloud agreed, what Aerith was wearing really wasn't that bad and didn't deserve that.

Corneo stopped between Tifa and Cloud. "Which to choose... The delicate flower in the revealing short dress? Or the vision of perfection that Andrea put such care into?"

"What'll happen to me and whoever you don't choose?" Aerith asked nervously, looking at the third choice next to her and trying to buy Zack time.

"Oh, you know. You get thrown into my guard's quarters and they get to have fun. Then, you disappear." Corneo said blithely.

"What!" Aerith gasped. "I wasn't told I'd get disappeared!"

Corneo ignored her, still trying to decide between the two. "Hmm... yes... I think..." He pointed a fat finger at Cloud. "I always liked a little meat on my bones, and I'm glad Andrea remembered that about me! Guards! Take care of the other two!"

Tifa struggled in their grasps, "Wait, no! Cloud!"

"Cloud?" Aerith asked, surprised, then: "Really? Wow, she looks great!"

Really? Cloud cast a look over his shoulder at Aerith, and the girl shrugged at him even as she yanked her elbow out of one of the Don's men's hard grasp.

Cloud let himself be prodded along through the other door and wondered vaguely what to do now. He'd really been here for the rescue, not to be rescued.

Luckily for him, as soon as they got to the bedroom, the Don just started muttering lewd things to himself and stroking himself while taking pictures.

Cloud was relieved it was only that, so far, and did his best to ignore Corneo for as long as possible.

The man apparently had a bit of a humiliation kink, Cloud noted as the Don gasped with delight at being called a disgusting little man not worth Cloud's time. Cloud decided to milk that for all it was worth.

Then the window shattered open, glass shattering everywhere. "Tifa! Aerith! The cavalry has arrived!" Zack Fair cried as he burst into the room.

Then he blinked at the scene in front of him.

"Wrong room!" Corneo snapped at the hooligan.

"Uh." Zack stuttered, unable to tear his eyes from what was _clearly_ Cloud sitting on Corneo's bed in a pretty dress.

"No!" Tifa called, and with a solid punch, the door went flying inward. "I was just late to the party!" She advanced on Corneo with murder in her eyes.

"Wh-wha?"

Tifa reached out and grabbed him by his collar. "Why did you have men in Sector 7!" She demanded hotly.

"Oh, is that what this is all about? And here I thought it was something serious." Corneo shrugged carelessly under her hands.

"You might want to tell her~" Aerith piped up in a sweet voice, even as she set the glowing tip of her staff right in between Corneo's legs.

Cloud was impressed.

Just met and these two had this handled already. Standing, Cloud brushed off his skirt and edged around the room.

"I give! I give!" Corneo cried at the threat to his manhood. "Shinra had me send them! They're trying to sniff out Avalanche!"

"And what did they find?" Tifa asked dangerously. Zack shifted so his sword was just a bit more obvious as he moved to stand between the two girls.

"Heh, heh. The location of that gun-armed buffoon, of course!" Corneo cackled. "As if you could be anymore obvious! And now, Shinra is going to wipe them all out at once! The Plate will fall, and Avalanche will be no more!"

Cloud stilled.

Everyone else in the room was shocked as well, and the Don scrambled backwards out of their grasp. "Question time! Under what circumstances does a villain reveal their plans?"

"I..if he has the upper hand." Cloud whispered, and couldn't move as the man turned his head to grin at her maliciously and pulled a lever.

Some SOLDIER Zack was, he fell hard and fast with a yelp, weighed down by the Buster Sword. Cloud could only watch in horror as all three fell down a trap door.

"Buh-bye, enjoy you're visit to the sewers!" Corneo called down, before laughing for several long seconds with glee.

Then, Corneo rolled over and turned to Cloud, hopping off the bed to stand before the blond. "Now, where were we?"

Cloud's eyes widened.

"Fuck no!" He shouted, and punched Corneo's nose in with a sickening **crunch**.

Corneo collapsed to the floor.

Cloud stared down at the man. He really was despicable.

With a shrug, he grabbed the man by the feet and walked him over to the trap door. "Have a taste of your own medicine." Cloud muttered, then kicked him over the ledge.

Cloud looked into the depths of the trap, and sighed.

He really wanted to go after Zack, and Tifa. Aerith too, she didn't deserve this.

But... Tifa could take care of herself now, couldn't she.

And Zack... Zack would be okay.

So instead, Cloud turned to the window, and with a short hop jumped off into the foggy morning, then took off at a run.

He filched the first pair of pants he could find and tugged them on. The neckline of the dress ripped a bit as he pulled it over his head, and Cloud heard the tinkle of Andrea's earring hit the ground.

Cloud paused, looking back at the gleam of gold.

He... couldn't just leave them. Cloud turned back and picked it up before continuing his run.

Cloud had a mission: he had to reach Sector 7 in time, find where Avalanche was... warn them, somehow.

As he turned a corner sharply, Cloud ran smack dab into someones chest. Warm palms steadied him.

"Are you alright?" A kind voice asked, and Cloud looked up into familiar brown eyes.

"I know you." Cloud said numbly.

A black eyebrow raised, and the beautiful man nodded agreeably. "I do believe you do, although we were never introduced." A smile touched his lips then. "I believe Andi referred to you as his 'inspiration'."

"Andi." Cloud breathed out, turning to look towards the Honeybee Inn.

Cloud had told the man he'd come back, not even knowing if it was the truth.

Now Cloud knew he couldn't, not yet at least.

"Can you tell him something for me?" Cloud spun back around to face the bodybuilder.

"Of course, but how about we exchange names, first?" The man asked, amused at the disheveled spitfire before him.

Cloud ignored that. "Tell him... Cloud's gone to warn Sector 7 that someone is targeting the Plate Pillar."

The amused expression on Jules face fled. "Are you serious?" He asked in a hushed, urgent tone.

A grim smile crossed Cloud's lips. "Heard it straight from Corneo myself."

A hand pushed on Cloud's back. "Go."

Cloud ran.

The demons of hell were at his heels, Cloud thought with half hysterical amusement. Because damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Cloud accosted the first person he saw at the Sector 7 train station. "Where is Seventh Heaven!?" going on a hunch that if that was the bar Tifa had worked at, that he'd find someone from the terrorist gang there.

The first guy stuttered and shook his head, but a gangly redhead overheard him and popped their head up, making their own assumptions. "You know what's happened to my _beautiful_ Tifa? Follow me!"

Cloud ran after them.

In no time at all, Cloud saw a big wooden sign, Seventh Heaven. He pounded up the steps to the bar and burst the door opened.

It was mostly empty at this time of morning. A little girl screamed, and Cloud felt badly even as a big, muscular man with a gun strapped to his arm jumped up angrily.

Cloud probably should have paid that more mind, as he fit Corneo's description for Avalanche perfectly.

Instead, Cloud only had eyes for the three at one of the high top tables. Biggs, Wedge and Jessie sat around it with pale faces. They stared at him with surprise and chorused Cloud's name.

Cloud stalked up to Biggs. "You!" He spat angrily, probably undeservedly.

Jessie cackled and Wedge laughed nervously as Biggs pointed at himself and said, "Me?"

"You're Avalanche, aren't you." A pin could have dropped and rang in the echoing silence of the room.

A gun nestled against the back of Cloud's head. "Give me one reason I shouldn't blow your damn fool head off." A low voice growled at him. "ESPECIALLY, for scaring Marlene!"

Cloud kept eye contact with Biggs.

"I just came from Corneo's place to help Tifa." Everyone was staring at Cloud now, even Marlene. "And you fucking idiots have pissed the brass off enough that they see their best solution is to drop the Plate on you all."

Biggs paled, and Cloud could see Wedge fall out of his seat.

Behind him, the guy with the gun asked dangerously. "Got any proof?"

Cloud spread his arms wide, gesturing at his lack of shirt and stolen pants. "Do I look like I have proof?"

"Y-You said you were going to help Tifa?" Marlene piped up from where she was clutching at her daddy's leg. "Is she okay?"

Cloud pursed his lips, then, aware of the gun still at his head, knelt in front of the girl to make himself more approachable. "Well, my big brother Zack is with her, so I'd say she is."

"Zack?" A chorus of voices asked. 

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Yes, Zack."

"Then where is she?" Marlene demanded with puffed cheeks.

Cloud thought quickly. "Well, Zack's uh, girlfriend, Aerith? She accidentally fell into the sewers, and Tifa and Zack went after her."

Marlene stared at him solemnly. "The sewers are pretty big." She allowed, knowing she wasn't supposed to go on adventures in them, because just like the Train Graveyard, people got lost.

Cloud stood up and turned around.

In total, he counted eight heads in the room. "This can't be all of Avalanche." Cloud reeled at the low number.

Barret snorted. "Just our faction, boyo." He looked down at Marlene, then at Cloud. "So, the Plate, huh?"

Jessie smacked her fist into her palm. "Guess that means we've gotta get a head start up there and protect that pillar!"

Cloud stared at all of them, each nodding and burning with an inner fire. "Noo." Cloud said slowly to the stupid. "Now you warn everybody and get people to get the hell out of here!"

"Don't worry, Cloud. We'll tell people." Wedge tried to assure him.

Biggs walked up and put a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Thank you for coming all this way, Cloud, but we can take it from here. No pillar destruction means no need to evacuate."

Cloud shook his head and backed up. "None of you are thinking properly. Thousands of lives are at stake if you don't succeed."

"Forewarned is forearmed." Biggs told Cloud.

The gun clicked behind Cloud's head. "And we can't let you go forewarning anybody else, you hear?" The big guy growled.

"Woah!" "Barret!"

Two sets of hands stopped the gun from firing on Cloud, and Biggs shoved Cloud behind him to stare down the barrel himself.

Brown eyes glared into brown.

"Feh. You want him alive, you tie him up and throw him downstairs, got it?"

"Deal." Biggs promised.

As his hands were jerked behind his back and tied up, Cloud was grimly amused. So this was Avalanche.

And worse, this was Biggs.

Cloud strained against his bonds desperately, but to his shock, he felt a warm hand close around his wrists just as they gave a bit.

"Sorry Cloud." Biggs said a bit loudly, then let go of Cloud's hands. He lowered his voice as Barret started shouting. "Boss doesn't see the little person." Biggs' eyes were steely, and it was clear that Biggs didn't quite agree with that sentiment. 

"Biggs!" Barret yelled from the door.

"Yeah, Biggs!" Jessie hollered with a nervous glance, then started pushing out the door. "Stop chatting with your boyfriend and get a move on!"

As soon as Barret was out of sight, Biggs hit a switch on a pinball machine, causing it to caterwaul loudly. "You get as many people out of here as you can, you hear me? Then you better get your ass safe."

Biggs' lips pressed tight together, looking like he still wanted to say something more, but in the end, Biggs just exhaled sharply though his nose, then spun on his heel and ran out of the room.

Cloud stared after him.

Shots rang out in the Sector, audible even indoors, and Cloud cursed and tugged at the cloth again. Marlene stared at him with big brown eyes, but before Cloud could open his mouth, she eep'd and ran behind the counter to hide.

Then, to his amazement, the evacuation warning sirens started ringing throughout the sector.

"Marlene!" A voice cried out, thin with age just as Cloud got his hands untied and started working on his feet.

Cloud could hear Marlene whimpering. "Marlene, come on out! It's Marle!" An old woman slammed the door to the bar open.

"Auntie!" Her little feet padded against the floor and Cloud saw her little body slam against someone's legs.

"Marlene, come on, we have to go." The woman said, eyeing Cloud like he was a monster about to leap at them.

Marle started herding the little girl towards the door, but stopped as Marlene tugged on her Auntie's hand. "Auntie, Daddy tied him up."

"Is that so?" The woman's voice asked, and her eyes pinned Cloud in place. "And what, pray tell, did your daddy do that for."

"Umm..." Marlene hesitated. "Daddy was yelling."

"Alright, Marlene. But is this a good person or a bad person? Do we keep him tied up?"

Cloud snorted.

"Um... He's Zack's brother!" Marlene piped up.

"Barret, what am I going to do with you." He heard the elderly woman with a no-nonsense expression grumble as she turned and stared down at him with a hard, assessing gaze. "Well, you don't look alike. 'Cept the eyes, but I thought that was mako."

Cloud chuckled weakly. "That'd be the blood binding me an' Zack."

Marle stared at him a moment, then nodded. "Marlene, grab me a kitchen knife, please. And make sure you _walk_ with it _point down_." Marle instructed the little girl, who ran to do what she asked.

"Who raised the alarm?" Cloud finally asked.

"Sector 6. Said someone with binoculars saw some suspicious activity." Marle eyed him speculatively. "But judging by your question, _you_ warned Avalanche first. I'm guessing they didn't like that, which is why you're tied up, and they're not here."

Marlene returned with a knife, and the old woman carefully lowered herself down to cut the tighter bonds around his ankles.

"Then Zack and Tifa aren't back yet." Cloud surmised with a sigh. He could also hear more than one helicopter roar overhead. "And it sounds like we're running out of time. You need to evacuate."

"I agree." Marle said, and put a hand on her hip. "But I'm old. I can tell everyone I see on my way out that this is real, but can you take Marlene? I can't carry her."

Cloud stared down at the girl, then nodded. "Done." He held his arms open, "Marlene, I'm going to get you somewhere safe. Do you want a piggy back ride?"

Marlene stared at him, then shrieked. "NOOO!!!" and ran to the back of the pub.

Marle sighed. "I'll try and get her out of here, you start herding people out of the Sector, young man."

Nodding, Cloud beat a brisk pace out of the pub. People were whispering and clumped together around televisions.

_"This is a message from Shinra Emergency Personnel, a threat has been given on the Sector 7 support pillar, however, Shinra would like to assure their citizens to stay where they are and keep calm. Shinra is doing their utmost best to stop any action before it is taken."_

"That's bullshit!" Cloud called out, and a ripple of unease hit the crowd.

"How would you know!"

Cloud clenched his teeth and changed tactics. "If you all stay here and that Plate comes down, then you die. The end. But we can _leave_. We have that freedom!"

"The gates out of the Sector are locked, though." Someone whispered.

What?

Cloud ran for the boundary gate and saw the holdup.

Shinra troops, holding the line.

Cloud stomped up. "Hey!" The two men jumped. "Open the gate!"

"We are not going to do that!" One of them snapped at him.

Cloud pulled the memory of Shinra round him like a cloak and pointed to his eyes. "That'll be a 'Yes, Sir!' from you!"

Just like Cloud thought, they looked at his eyes, thought he was a SOLDIER ordering them, jumped, and saluted. Then one turned and opened the gate to the flood of people.

Cloud found himself caught in the crowd of people fleeing, and couldn't get away. One way to go, he supposed, and let himself be dragged along with the crowd.

Halfway down the road out of the Sector, Cloud saw a crowd of people lined up along the sides.

"What...?"

Triage, Cloud realized quickly.

His eyes scanned the crowd, and lighted on a familiar figure wearing an apron with Stamp on it, handing out blankets. Cloud trotted over. "Lee!" He called out as he came nearer, and she spun on her heel and bull rushed him into a crushing hug.

"You're okay!" Folia mumbled against his chest, then hit him. "You're never doing that again!"

Cloud blinked down at her, "I hope I don't have to see Corneo's face again, either."

"Not that!" Folia had a few tears in her eyes when she looked up. "Leaving without saying goodbye!"

"Ah." Cloud cleared his throat. He guess he had left the Inn without saying goodbye, when she knew he was going somewhere dangerous.

"And we've been out here over an hour, ever since Jules let Andi know about the Plate. Corneo's missing, and Andi and Chocobo Sam organized all of this." Folia offered the information and stepped back, pushing a thumb under her glasses to clear her eyes.

Then she eyed him skeptically. "Shirtless, Cloud? You're lucky we brought supplies." She spun on her heel and walked over to the crates and handed him a shirt. "Wool, in case it gets cold." She told him, throwing it over his head before Cloud could grab it himself.

Cloud fought the fabric for a moment, and glared when his head poked back out. "Folia."

Folia glared at him over her glasses with that stubborn expression, and Cloud relented with a sigh. "Thanks."

Cloud had half a mind to tell Folia about Biggs, while he had her right here.

It had been a bit of a shock, when Cloud had rushed into Seventh Heaven. Sure, he had sort of put two and two together, but... it was a hard truth.

Cloud hesitated, though: there was a chance that she'd be crushed at that information, if she learned that Biggs was a part of Avalanche. It was such a contrast to the ideal she had in her head of the man.

And was this really the time?

Cloud gave her a half hug and said instead, "In case I don't see you for a bit, see you later, Lee."

Folia smiled at him gratefully, then pointed down at a different crowd. "Andi is down over that way, if you want to see him."

Cloud hesitated. He did, but... Sector 7...

Folia swatted his arm. "You're transparent, Cloud. Go see him."

Cloud headed that way, rationalizing the time loss to himself. If Folia needed a goodbye, Andi probably did too.

"Andi!" He called out as soon as he saw the man.

"Cloud!" The dancer spun around and made his way to Cloud quickly. Andrea pressed his palms against Cloud's shoulders and looked him up and down. "I am glad to see you." Andrea breathed out, before pulling him in for a tight hug.

"What's been happening here?" Cloud asked, shifting a bit to look around.

"Waiting, mostly." Andrea told him with a frown pulling at his lips. "Many people do not dare go into the Sector itself, but we've been helping guide all the people coming out."

Cloud let out a sigh, and couldn't help glancing back in the direction of the Sector 7 slums.

"Ah." Andrea looked at Cloud. "I take it by your demeanor that you are going back in?" He asked rhetorically with an inscrutable look in his eyes. 

Running his hand through his hair, Cloud shifted side to side when he couldn't answer the man.

"Now, now. You weren't thinking of going off into danger without so much as a goodbye, were you?" Andrea chastised gently, tapping a finger against Cloud's chin.

Cloud swallowed, because he really was torn up about this. "Andi... Zack is out there somewhere."

Andrea sighed. "I'm not about to stop you, Cloud." He half-turned to facing Sector 7 as well, with it's floodlights lit and the helicopters circling around it. "I have only admiration for your kindness."

"Call it what it is." Cloud said roughly. "It's not kind, it's selfish."

Cloud wanted it all. Zack, Tifa, Folia... Andi.

Andrea sighed heavily, and his voice was sad. "I am trying to make this decision easier on you, darling."

Cloud looked up at his profile, at the age that Cloud only noticed when the man was sad. "I'll be back."

"I appreciate the platitude, however," Andrea's lips twitched. "I do not wish to hold you to a promise you might not be able to keep, Cloud."

Cloud grabbed the opening of the man's shirt. "Andi." He insisted, and hazel eyes finally looked down into Cloud's. "Perhaps I should have said: I _want_ to come back."

"Darling." Andrea's murmured softly, sliding his hands down to settle on Cloud's hips. "You really shouldn't tease a man like that. He might start getting the wrong ideas."

"What wrong idea is that?" Cloud asked breathlessly.

"That they've won." Andrea said simply, stroking up and down.

Cloud swallowed and wet his lips.

"Andi."

Andrea kissed him.

He kissed Cloud like he was a man dying of thirst in a desert. The way Midgar was parched without mako.

His lips were plush and soft, but he held them firm against Cloud's. One hand reached up to fold their fingers into Cloud's hair, the other pulled him closer at the hips.

Cloud inhaled a gasp at the sharp sensation, and then Andrea was stroking his tongue into his mouth. Across, in, twirling around Cloud's tongue in a gentle caress.

To kiss Andi was to dance with him.

To twine around the man and follow him into the abyss.

Panting, Andrea broke the kiss and set his forehead on Cloud's. Hazel eyes stared into Cloud's, they were dark with desire and the state of his pupils told a tale of how much Andrea wanted Cloud, right here, right now.

Cloud was very sure that his own eyes showed the same fervor in them.

"If you do not depart now." Andrea growled against Cloud's lips with a hoarse voice, "Then I will not have the strength to let you."

Cloud swallowed, and let his hands drop from where they were clutching at Andrea's shoulders. They slid down the mans arms, and paused when Andrea flipped their wrists to capture Cloud's hands.

"Beautiful." Was all the man said, bringing up to his lips for a faint kiss against them, then let go and took a step back. "Now go."

Once again, Cloud ran.

He didn't _stop_ running until he hit the Sector 7 Pillar. Then it was all he could do to stare in horror.

Avalanche was made of goddamned fools, thinking they could stall this.

Cloud started up.

Most of the ground troops of Shinra were already down for the count, and to his surprise, the helicopter ignored Cloud.

A few floors up, he saw Biggs.

"Biggs!" Cloud ran up to him.

To Cloud's amazement, dark eyelashes fluttered, and settled on Cloud.

"What an oddly personal angel." Biggs mused aloud, smiling deliriously up at Cloud.

Clenching his jaw, Cloud grabbed Biggs' wrist and hauled him up.

"Oww! Shit!" Biggs hissed. "Not dead yet, it seems."

"Shut up." Cloud ordered, and leapt from the pillar into a crowd of people with Biggs half thrown over his shoulder. "I've got an injured here! Anyone able to take them with!?"

To Cloud's surprise, Aerith popped her head up when she stood from where she was kneeling next to someone Cloud recognized as Wedge. "Cloud!"

"I don't know that you can support him, Aerith." He told her skeptically, eyeing her slight frame.

"Don't worry, he'll be able to carry himself." Aerith assured him, then cast a strong healing spell on Biggs.

The man looked only marginally better, and swayed where he stood.

Aerith looked gobsmacked. "Eheheh... maybe he will need a bit more help."

"Wait!" Biggs grabbed desperately at Cloud's hands. "Cloud. Cloud. I'm sorry."

Cloud clenched his jaw. "You should be."

"You're right. And I am." Biggs nodded, staring at him with pain addled eyes. "I should have listened to you, protested our plan, not just left you. But... I'm also sorry that I missed our dance lessons."

"You're about to die." Cloud bit out. "And you're apologizing about the fucking dance lessons?"

Biggs gave him a smirk. "What can I say? I looked forward to them."

"Well, you lost your chance." Cloud told the man, thinking of how just this evening, he'd shared a dance with another. With Andi.

"Really?" Biggs asked, looking down at his stomach and poked it as if there wasn't a bullet hole in it. "I mean, sounds like I've still.. got a small chance to survive this. So..." Biggs looked over at him and gave him a tired, cocky thumbs up. "If I survive, I'll drop by the Leaf House. I know you might never forgive me, but... I'm still hoping for those dance lessons."

"Idiot." Cloud breathed as the man passed out and would crumpled to the ground if Cloud hadn't caught his arm and assisted the fall.

"Are you going back up there?" Aerith asked quietly looking up at the support pillar.

"...Yes." Cloud nodded. "Until I find Zack and drag his ass out of there kicking and screaming."

"I'm glad to hear that." Aerith clasped her hands and smiled. "Tifa asked me to find someone, so as soon as all of these people are stable, I'm going to try and get to them."

"There's triage set up right outside the sector limits blast zone." Cloud told her, then took off.

Biggs' friend, Jessie, was motionless on the floor as he passed. Cloud cast revive, but didn't hope for much when he didn't see her stir, and felt too anxious to stop running.

Then, Cloud was at the top with nary a scrape on him.

"Zack!" He called out, and saw him lying down with Tifa standing over his unconscious body, protecting him.

"Cloud!" Tifa cried, relieved as he ran up. "You're okay!"

Cloud cast revive and a healing spell on Zack's body. "Ughh... who was driving that truck?"

"Turks, apparently." Cloud said wryly, splitting his attention between the sky and the redhead that the Avalanche guy was very impressively going toe to toe with.

Zack nodded thoughtfully, and coughed up a bit of blood at the jarring motion. "I... still need a moment, you wanna have a go with the Buster Sword?" He asked, lifting the handle towards Cloud.

Cloud hesitated, then picked it up for a practice swing. It sang through the air with a **whoosh**.

It felt like coming home.

"Watch over him, okay?" Cloud waited for Tifa to meet his eyes with a firm nod.

Cloud rushed in.

Reno jumped back nimbly away from the first swing. "Hell!" Then he saw who was on the other side of the sword and tried to cajole. "Hey, come on. Don't do that. I can't protect you if you do that."

"Dropping a Plate on my head wouldn't protect me either." Cloud retorted, tightening his grip on the hilt.

"You were in Sector 5! Perfectly safe!" Reno protested, ducking back from Cloud's next swing.

"Save it."

And so the dance with death began.

To Cloud's surprise, swinging around the Buster Sword was as easy as breathing. Cloud remembered Zack whispering tales in the night, of the weight of honor and broken dreams.

If this was honor, it was feather light in defense of the Sector 7 Plate.

Cloud kept Reno on his toes, and away from that switch.

Then Rude stepped in, slapping the switch without as much as a by-your-leave.

When that alert started, all Cloud could do was stare at the two Turks.

It was stupid, to feel betrayed, but Cloud couldn't help but feel that way.

"I don't ever want to see you again." The words tumbled out of Cloud's mouth unbidden.

The redhead ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I figured. I don't really want to see myself again, either."

Tifa pushed past them, desperate to find a way to stop the drop. Judging by the Turks expressions as they walked away, it was futile.

Another Turk came on screen, then, to exchange words with Zack.

Cloud figured this was the last nail in the coffin, the end of that strange, two month cooperation between ex-SOLDIER and the almost rebellious Turks.

A point proven when Aerith popped on the screen, shoving at Tseng's elbow in an almost familiar manner. "Marlene is safe!" She told Tifa, and Cloud could hear the big guy let out a sob behind him.

Cloud just felt numb, staring at that button.

Then Zack was pulling Cloud away, and it almost felt like they were flying.

It was a rough landing, though, and Zack and Barret were both out cold. Tifa and Cloud eyed each other warily, effectively alone together for the first time in years.

"Avalanche?" Cloud eventually broke the silence.

Tifa looked down at her hands. "Not the best idea in the world." She said in a small voice. "But I could have had worse ones."

Cloud thought about that, then nodded. "Didn't storm the front door demanding everyone die for recompense."

Tifa snorted. "Sometimes, I wish. But..." she looked over at Barret, then Zack. "These last few weeks have really taught me that blood and violence just begets more of it."

"The Plate." Cloud concurred, looking over at the tragic rubble in front of them.

"It's not healthy, the way Barret lives." Tifa whispered, running her fingers over his arm.

"What about you?" Tifa suddenly asked, pinning Cloud with a look. "Where have you been?"

Cloud looked at his nails, then Zack.

"Someone once told me, that there's a fine line between enhanced and specimen." Cloud said quietly. "Zack and I were among the unlucky latter."

"I'm so sorry." Tifa couldn't help but say, stricken.

Cloud shrugged. "I was in a bad way for a very, very long time. And Zack did his best." Cloud added. "But one day, I had to learn to live without Zack."

"And here you are now, huh?" Tifa asked wryly.

"And here I am." Cloud agreed. "I work at an orphanage, in the Sector 5 slums. I'm a dance teacher, just like mom."

Tifa laughed at him, her burgundy eyes bright. "Dance? Really?"

"Really." Cloud said, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.

Tifa climbed to her feet and held out her hand. "Alright then, Mr. Dancer. Show me what you remember."

Cloud took her hand and set them a-whirl. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Tifa's laughter turned to tears, and they stopped moving. Tifa's head came down to rest against his shoulder. "It's just like before. Everything is gone. The bar. My home. They've taken everything from me. Again."

Her fist pounded on Cloud's shoulder, but he ignored it, wrapping his arms around her to let her cry. "I hate them. I hate them!"

Slowly, they slid down to the ground. Tifa's tears eventually settled, and they shifted, sitting back to back. Each hugging their knees like they were still children perched on the water tower of long ago.

"I think I'm impressed." Tifa said, her voice thick with tears.

"Me too." A voice croaked.

Cloud's head snapped up. "Zack!" He rushed over to the other man on his hands and knees. "Are you okay?"

Zack lifted himself to his elbows. "Yeah. I'm okay. You okay?"

Cloud nodded, and they basked in the familiarity of it all.

"MARLENE!" Barret woke up with a shout, looking around with wild eyes. "Where is she! Is she okay!"

"Barret, she's fine!" Tifa rushed to assure him.

"How can you say that! Do you really know!" Barret demanded of them.

Cloud counted to ten for patience, and spoke up. "Aerith said so, remember?"

"Take me to her!" The man demanded, cocking his gun and pointing it at Cloud.

A sneer came to Cloud's lips. "Say. Please."

"What!" Tifa gasped, going for Barret's arm.

"Cloud!" Zack pulled at the blond's arm, dragging him out of the line of fire.

"This man had me tied up and would have left me to die in his basement with the Plate going to come down. With his daughter still in the building!" Cloud spat angrily. "Why should I pander to his anger?"

Barret cracked, bringing his good hand up to cover his tear filled eyes. "Please... just... tell me Marlene is okay."

"Well, I don't know about okay." Zack stepped up and put a firm hand on Barret's shoulder. "But if Aerith helped her out, we know where to find her."

"Where are we going?" Tifa asked quietly.

"Sector 5, where Aerith lives." Cloud answered her quietly, leading the way.

They picked their way across the rubble, and all too soon found themselves in the neon lights of Wall Market.

Unfortunately, Shinra troops were also littered throughout.

"Lucky." Cloud let out a breath as the first ones passed without looking at them. 

They turned another corner and were almost home free when a voice called out to them.

"Cloud!" The blond instantly spun around to see Andrea approaching him with relief in his eyes. "You're alright."

"Andi." Cloud stepped forward and let himself be hugged by the older man. "Is Folia safe, too?"

"She's home safe, if a little distraught after having to care for a dear friend of hers." Andrea reported quietly, and ran a hand through Cloud's hair, before sliding his fingers down to cup Cloud's cheek. "Darling, you look exhausted. Don't tell me you're considering going that far tonight?"

"I can power through it." Cloud sighed heavily and leaned into Andrea's palm for a moment, then turned and tried to pull away. Only for Andrea to tug on him and wrap his arms around the blond from behind this time, setting his chin on his head.

"Who're you?" Zack piped up, staring at Andi with a frown on his face.

"Andrea Rhodea." Andrea replied dismissively with a glance at Zack, then the others with him. "Quite the company you're keeping, dearest. Avalanche, I presume?"

Barret glared, but Tifa only had eyes for the reluctant tenderness on Cloud's face and stepped forward. "Tifa Lockhart." She introduced herself with a somber but genuine smile for the dancer. "We're heading back to Sector 5 to find someone."

"I can drop by tomorrow." Cloud offered softly.

Zack was staring at the duo still. "No, Cloud." He spoke up, and ran his hand through his hair. "I can lead Barret to Marlene just as easily as you can."

Cloud frowned, "Zack, no..." Cloud wasn't quite sure what to say, there was so many things going on here. Marlene, Aerith, Shinra...

Zack clenched his jaw and glanced down the street at the oblivious Shinra troops. "You've helped enough, Cloud, and I only want you to be safe." He blew out a breath and stepped up to Cloud, settling his hands on Cloud's shoulders. "I don't want you involved any more than you already are, you hear me?"

Cloud stared.

"When I was the only one who could keep you safe, I was happy to do that." Zack said quietly. "But I know you can keep yourself safe, now. And... I want you to _live_." Zack glanced up at Andrea, then met Cloud's eyes as he unsheathed his Buster sword. "I want you to take this sword, protect yourself, and live your life to the fullest."

"And I don't get a say?" Cloud asked, shrugging off Andrea's arms and stepping forward to put a hand on the Buster sword.

"Nope." Zack said with a smile, and told Andrea, "Make sure Cloud takes care of himself, okay?"

"I appear to have underestimated you, Zack Fair." Andrea spoke up from behind Cloud.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Zack shot out, and in one motion shoved the massive sword deep into the ground. "Cloud, brother, I love you." He waved at Tifa and Barret. "C'mon, lets go."

"Zack!" Cloud called out, and mako-blue eyes met mako-blue. "How will I know you're okay?" The words tumbled out of his lips.

Zack paused and dug his hand through his pocket, then threw a cell phone at Cloud. He caught it. "I'll call you!" Zack said, then ducked down an alleyway.

Barret followed close behind.

Tifa looked at her childhood friend with torn eyes.

"Cloud... I have to see this through." Tifa told him softly.

Cloud gave her a ghost of a smile. "It sounds to me like you're the one in the saving people's business these days."

Tifa blinked at him, and he could see the moment the words made impact. She brightened with a smile, and flipped her hand out. "You bet!"

"Live, and we'll catch up." Cloud finally said.

"I'll make you a drink." Tifa promised, then turned and ran after Zack and Barret. "It was nice to meet you!" She called over her shoulder to Andrea.

Cloud stared at where they disappeared, then at the Buster sword lodged in the ground.

Andrea wrapped his arms around Cloud from behind and settled his chin on top of him again.

"You've done all you can. It's time for a rest, darling." Andrea said, rubbing his hands up and down Cloud's arms.

Cloud pulled his eyes away, and turned in Andrea's arms. "I wanted to run after them." He confessed softly, looking up at Andrea.

"You still can, Cloud." Andrea said, though it pained him greatly to say so. "There's still time."

Staring at Andrea's hazel eyes, Cloud couldn't help but shake his head with a rueful smile. "I wanted to stay with you more, Andi."

Andrea blinked down at him, and took in a surprisingly unsteady breath. "Cloud." He murmured.

Gaze turning tender, and sensual, Andrea ducked his head to speak against Cloud's lips. "Say that again, beautiful."

Cloud swallowed, and whispered. "I want to stay... Andi."

When Andrea kissed Cloud this time, it was oh so softly, petal flowers against Cloud's lips, once, twice, thrice. "Let me keep you." Andrea whispered.

For some reason, at that precise moment, Folia's lecture on consent ran through Cloud's head, and he laughed a bit.

"You can keep me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the ride. I know I enjoyed most of it. I hope people are satisfied with how it ended. Even if Biggs was clinging to hope a bit there, I made sure that Cloud told him, no, too... So to me, that's resolution, with a chance of extrapolation if I ever get bitten by a writing bug again.
> 
> (Psst! Which I have!)  
> Also, to everybody and nobody who got this far wondering wtf was up with the title, Vein was named because of leaf veins, and also because this was supposed to be "Along a similar vein" The end mystery solved I'd meant to reveal that before. (Now I just have to stop myself from *actually* calling offshoot, 'sucker')
> 
> Zack, on waking up: Ugh, what's that smell?  
> Tifa: We're in the sewers.  
> Aerith, pointing at where Corneo was cowering, having shat himself: No, it's him!
> 
> I really loved writing the scene where Cloud storms into Seventh Heaven with nothing but heel boots, stolen, ill fitting pants, no shirt, and makeup plus extensions. Biggs started out that encounter very confused.
> 
> In the sequel I will probably never write:  
> Biggs, happy to be alive and that he's at the Leaf House: As soon as I recover, can I get those dance lessons?  
> Cloud: No.  
> Biggs: Please let me make it up to you! (and get those dance lessons)  
> Folia, already beyond pissed that Biggs is Avalanche: No means no!
> 
> And:  
> Folia: So you're Zack.  
> Zack: In the flesh!  
> Folia, squinting at Zack's hand: I don't *see* a wedding band tan...  
> Zack: Wha? CLOUD!


End file.
